Wolfie
by NikkiB1973
Summary: Jacob first phased into a spirit wolf at the age of five, shocking both his father and the tribal elders...what will happen when he meets Bella Swan for the first time. Set way before Twilght AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Part One**

Rebecca and Rachel turned their backs on Bella Swan. They were sick of her following them about all the time, they did not need anyone but each other. Their father had asked them to play nicely with Chief Swan's daughter as she was only in town for a week visiting. Her parents were divorced and Bella lived with her mother in Phoenix, a dry dusty place, the total opposite to Forks. They babbled away in their own made up language, ignoring the other girl completely. She was only seven and they were big girls of nine.

"Why are you still here?" Rachel turned and stamped her foot in annoyance as she saw the skinny pale faced girl still standing rooted to the spot.

"Daddy said I had to stay with you." Bella yanked on the ends of her long brown hair nervously.

"Well we don't want you here, just go and play by yourself." Rebecca sneered disdainfully. She took her twin's hand and ran into the house.

Bella felt warm tears roll down her cheeks. She wished she was still back in Phoenix with her mommy. She shuffled away from the house, her head hanging down and her hair hiding her face. Rain began to drip down from the sky and she was soon soaked to the skin, her hair hanging in tendrils round her face. It was like the sky was crying for her, all Bella Swan had done for the last twenty four hours since arriving to stay with her dad was cry.

She wandered aimlessly, not caring where she was headed. The sky darkened overhead and the rain really began to pelt down. Bella searched around for somewhere to take shelter and she saw the edge of the forest looming near. She ran as fast as she could and finally reached the overhanging leaves. Crouching down she pressed her back against the trunk of one of the trees and put her arms around her body, seeking warmth.

Ten minutes passed and Bella's body began to shake with the cold. The rain had turned into a torrential downpour and the tree no longer provided enough cover for Bella, she was drenched from head to toe. More tears poured forth as she curled up into a foetal position and rocked slowly, trying to put some heat back into her frozen body. She was so absorbed in her attempts to keep warm that Bella did not hear the pitter patter of paws on the forest floor.

The small russet brown wolf, which was no bigger than an average size dog, stopped. It sniffed the air with a quivering nose and inhaled the scent of ripe strawberries. Its tail, which had been drooping, suddenly rose in the air and the wolf trotted in the direction of the interesting aroma. Its ears perked forward and listened carefully as the sound of weeping assailed its sensitive ears. Carefully stepping through the undergrowth the small wolf crept silently toward the noise. It poked its head out of some leaves and finally located the source. A small, pale looking girl was lying curled up on the dirt floor of the forest. She was shaking as the cold pierced her body. The wolf never felt the cold.

Bella was brought out of her stupor by a yapping noise. It started off quietly and then increased in volume. She raised her head and her eyes met those of a small wolf, it wagged its stumpy tail and to her astonishment licked her face enthusiastically.

"Eeeeww...stop that." Bella sat up and gazed at the small wolf. It continued to wag its tail and its tongue lolled out as it gave her a big grin.

Bella knew that she should feel scared of the small wolf but really it was so sweet and incredibly friendly. Her tears were forgotten as she watched in amazement as the wolf sat down beside her and curled its warm body round her frozen one. The heat pouring from the wolf's body seeped through Bella's skin right to her bones. She nestled closer to the dense fur and ran her hands through the rough strands. The wolf actually made a rumbling noise and Bella thought it sounded rather like a cat's purr when it was feeling contented. She smiled to herself as she continued to caress the wolf's thick pelt.

Bella became so comfortable snuggled next to the wolf that her eyes became heavy and she drifted off into a deep sleep. The wolf felt her body relax against his and he opened his jaws in a wide yawn. He too felt tired and he placed his head next to hers and closed his eyes in contentment.

XXXXXX

Billy Black found Bella curled up next to his son. Charlie Swan had been frantic when the twins had finally revealed that they had dumped Bella and gone off to play by themselves. They could find no trace of his small daughter and so he and Billy had decided to search for her themselves. Sarah Black had been extremely angry with the young girls and remonstrated with them fiercely.

Billy approached the two youngsters cautiously. He knew that Jacob had not even realised that he had phased back to his human form. Everyone in the tribe who was in the know had been shocked when Jacob Black had phased into a wolf at the age of five. His father had been reprimanding him for throwing water over his older siblings when he saw the young boys outline blur and within seconds a small russet coloured wolf stood trembling before him. Every other tribe member who knew about the spirit wolves began watching their young children in fear, which one of them would be next? Thankfully Jacob had been the only one.

Sometimes Billy was shocked at how easily his son had accepted this other side to himself. Maybe because he was so young he was able to adapt better. The young boy had been in much need of guidance however and Billy took pride in talking things through with his son. Weeks passed and Jacob would turn wolf and leave the house and go missing for hours at a time. His mother Sarah was finding it hard to comprehend that her youngest child was destined for such a future. Would he always be alone? Cursed with the misfortune of turning into a wolf as soon as he lost his temper, how would he ever be able to maintain a normal human relationship?

"Jake you need to wake up..." Billy's soft voice carried through the air. He watched as Jacob sat up and yawned widely, his chin length black hair was matted to his head and he rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Dad?"

"Hey son, look you need to go back to the house before Bella wakes up, she might be a bit shocked to see you next to her instead of the wolf. You shouldn't have let her see that Jake, I did tell you it must be a secret."

Jacob's full lips turned down into a pout. He had just been trying to make a friend and the girl seemed nice, she hadn't been scared or upset. "Girlie was cold, she liked me. I heard her say so."

Billy sighed and hunkered down in front of his son. "Her name's Bella Jake, she is nice but maybe she will think it was just a dream when she wakes. Come back to the house and get dressed, perhaps you can be her friend in your human form huh? That would be better wouldn't it?"

Jacob frowned as he mulled over his dad's words, after a moment his expression brightened. "Yeah...I am gonna show her my treasures..."

Billy smiled and helped his son to his feet. "Good idea, you go on ahead and I will carry Bella back to the house."

Jacob gave his dad one of his big toothy grins and ran off toward the little red house.

XXXXXX

Bella opened her eyes expecting to see a small wolf but instead she was lying on the Black's old sofa. Tears pricked at her eyes as she realised the so called wolf she had seen did not exist. She had been so sure it was real, she remembered the rough feel of its beautiful fur and the warm feeling that had surrounded her when it chased away the cold. Her recollection seemed so vivid that in her heart she knew that the wolf did exist.

"I will find you again wolfie I will." Bella made a silent vow to herself. She was interrupted from her thoughts by a nudge on the arm. She turned her head irritably to find the Black's son standing in front of her holding a box.

"Wanna see my treasures girlie?" The boy asked her with a big grin.

"Not really...Jack is it?" Bella scrunched up her forehead trying to remember his name.

"NO it's Jacob...you're a bit stupid aren't you girlie." Jacob shoved the box next to Bella on the sofa, causing her to shift over to make room. "I don't mind though. My sisters are stupid too, but I'll still play with you."

Bella was so taken aback by his little speech that she became lost for words. Instead she watched as he rummaged through the box and brought out some old rocks and dumped them on her lap.

"What are these?" Bella asked curiously once she had recovered her voice.

"Rocks...magic rocks girlie." Jacob announced proudly.

"My name is not girlie it's Bella." She picked up one of the rocks and examined it. The shape and colour was rather unusual.

"Okay then Bells..." Jacob pulled out more knickknacks, an old feather and some screws.

"It's Bella...not Bells." Bella said mutinously.

"Bells..."

"Bella..."

"Bells..."

"Well if you are going to call me Bells than I am going to call you Jake." Bella declared, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

Jake looked at her as if she was mad. Everyone shortened his name to Jake, but if it kept her happy. "Okay Bells...you can call me Jake. Wanna play outside now?"

"It's raining..."

"Nah...Sun is out. Come on we can find more pretty rocks. You can have one if you aren't stupid."

"Will you stop calling me stupid?"

"All girls are stupid, my friend Quil said so. Rach and Beck are stupid, Leah Clearwater is stupid. My mom isn't though, she is way clever. She tells Rach and Beck off when they're mean."Jacob smiled at the memory of his sisters being sent to their room on the numerous occasions they had picked on him.

Even though Bella was annoyed at being called stupid, she had to agree with the rest of Jake's words."Yeah...you're sisters are stupid, but I am not."

Jacob shrugged. He was tired of talking about his sisters. "Are we gonna play outside or not?"

"Alright...Jake can I have this feather?"

Jacob stared at the large feather that was one of his most prized possessions. It had been a gift from the tribal elders to the young son of the Chief. He watched as Bells wound the feather into her hair. It did look rather pretty. "Okay...but only for today."

Bella smiled shyly at him and jumped off of the sofa. Jacob took her small hand in his and led her outside into the weak sunshine.

A/N-I know another new story! LOL :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Part Two**

Rebecca and her twin Rachel hid behind the side of the house, they watched as Bella and their little brother played happily together. Rachel's eyes narrowed as she saw the feather wound tightly in Bella's hair, she had always wanted that as a keepsake for herself but Jacob guarded it fiercely and would never let her or Rebecca touch it. Jealousy shot through her, how come he let skinny Bella Swan have it? She pointed it out to her twin.

"Look Becca that skinny little wretch has taken the feather. That was supposed to be a special gift from the tribal elders to our brother. She must have stolen it..." Rachel whispered.

"You always wanted that didn't you Rach? Mmmm well we are not going to let some nobody steal our brother's treasures are we?" A wicked gleam came into Rebecca's eyes. "Follow me Rach..."

Bella and Jacob were happily building a mud castle. They had heaped up a pile of the wet earth and patted it into shape. They were in the middle of digging a moat to go around the castle when Bella felt herself being shoved forward, her face hit the dirt and the breath was knocked from her body. She felt a tugging sensation in her long hair and the feather she had proudly been wearing was ripped out, along with several strands of her hair.

"That will teach you for stealing what doesn't belong to you." Rebecca Black sneered as she handed the feather to her twin.

Bella felt tears pool in her eyes. She struggled vainly and finally managed to sit up. Her hair fell about her face encased in mud. Her eyes felt sore where the grains had worked their way into them. Bella's vision blurred as she gazed around searching for Jake, where was he? She thought he would have at least tried to defend her but it seemed that he had just run off when his older siblings approached. She heard giggling and turned her head. Rachel and Rebecca made rude gestures at her as they saw her tear streaked face. Hanging her head Bella wished that she could be back with her 'Wolfie.' She remembered the feeling of safety that she felt when he was beside her.

As if the little wolf knew that she needed him, a loud yapping noise made her head shoot up. He was here. Bella scrambled to her feet and ran toward him, her long hair flying like a banner behind her. She wound her thin arms around his neck and clung to him. He kept licking her face enthusiastically and she sank against his side, letting his warmth soothe her.

"Wolfie I knew you were real..." Bella murmured as she pressed her face into his neck.

The little wolf stared over at the twins, their eyes were round as saucers as they stared at him in shock. His tongue lolled out in his version of a grin. He was going to teach the girls a lesson. All thoughts about keeping hidden flew out of his head and he shoved his dad's warnings about keeping the secret to one side. He felt Bella finally calm down and she loosened her hold on his neck. Gently extricating himself from her the wolf slowly stalked toward the twins. The hackles rose along his back, making him appear bigger. He opened his mouth wide and showed all his teeth. Lifting his head in the air the wolf let out a loud howl. Rachel and Rebecca squealed in fright, they both tried to run at the same time, bumping into each other in their haste to escape. The wolf let out a bark, his version of laughter. He heard Bella giggling behind him and his jaws widened into a big wolfy grin.

The twins began to cry in fright and they finally escaped into the house. The feather came loose from Rachel's hair and floated to the ground. Bella smiled and ran to pick it up. She clutched it to her chest in joy.

"Thank you Wolfie...I knew that you would come back. " Bella said gleefully. The wolf whimpered at her in reply.

Their mirth was short-lived however as Billy Black emerged from the house. His face was thunderous as he stalked over to the wolf and Bella. He hunkered down in front of Bella and studied her closely. "I need you to go inside the house please Bella."

Bella shook her head no. There was no way she was leaving the wolf. He was her best friend and had saved her from Jacob's horrible sisters. Billy sighed and took hold of her arms gently. "It's okay Bella. I just need to have a quick word with the wolf cub here."

Bella blinked in astonishment. Could Mr Black speak to animals? She opened her mouth to ask him but she happened to glance over at the wolf and her heart sank. She saw him cowered down on all fours. His head was down and the light had gone from his lovely brown eyes. She edged her way over to the wolf and sank against him, stroking his rough fur and whispering nonsense words into his ears, which were laying flat against his head. After a minute of doing this Bella stood up and was astonished to see Mr Black observing her closely, a confused frown on his face.

"Bella I really need you to go inside now. Don't worry the young wolf will be fine. I need you to do me a favour though. Can you keep a secret?" Billy asked her.

Bella nodded her head again and waited patiently for him to speak.

"You must not reveal anything to anyone about the young wolf here. His life would be in danger if you told anyone, especially your mom or dad. Do you understand?" Billy peered at her as he spoke.

"Yes I understand. Wolfie is my friend. I would never tell anyone..." Bella's voice tailed off as she saw the wolf's tail wag slightly as if he understood what she was saying.

Billy reached out and patted her hand."That's a good girl...now go back inside and I will make sure the wolf is safe okay."

Bella glanced one last time at the wolf and then she ran toward the house leaving Billy alone with his son.

XXXXXX

Bella sat opposite her dad as they ate their evening meal in silence. He had ordered a takeaway and they were now munching through a pepperoni pizza. She really didn't like pepperoni but was too nervous to tell her father. All her thoughts were focused on her new friend Wolfie. After she had been sent back into the house, Billy had returned followed by a subdued looking Jacob. Jake had tried to talk to her but she had blatantly ignored him, after all he had abandoned her to his sister's wrath. As for the twins they were now grounded. They had spent the remaining hours of her time with the Black's alternately glaring at her and mouthing insults. Bella did not care...she had a new friend, her Wolfie.

As she was about to head for home, Jake had sidled up to her holding out the now battered feather. "Take it Bells. I want you to have my feather."

Bella had been about to reject his offer but the sad look in his eyes had stopped her. Instead she had thanked him graciously and then left with her dad.

"Are you alright kiddo?" Charlie asked her awkwardly. He was finding it hard to read her emotions and worried that she was unhappy.

Bella gave him a small smile. "Yeah I'm fine. May I go to my room now daddy?"

"Well okay if that's what you want. Do you need anything else?" He asked her hesitantly.

"No thank you daddy..." Bella got up from her seat and left the table. Charlie watched her go with trepidation. He really wanted her to open up to him but she remained unreachable. Once again he cursed Renee for taking his little girl away from him.

XXXXXX

Bella opened the window in her bedroom and stared out into the darkening sky. She watched as the sun set, drowning in its blood red rays. Rain began to fall from the sky as Forks' topsy turvey weather took another turn. Cold air gushed through the open window making Bella shiver but for some reason she could not explain she kept guard, watching and waiting. The rain turned into another torrential downpour. Bella had put on a thick sweater to keep out the cold. She did not leave her vigil even when she heard her father get ready for bed and call out goodnight. Glancing at the bedside alarm clock Bella noted the time. Twelve o'clock, midnight, there was always something special about that time and as if on cue a yapping noise made her heart lift. She stumbled over to the open window and a large smile brightened her face. Wolfie was here!

XXXXXX

Bella made a shushing motion with her finger. She was amazed that the little wolf cub knew what she was implying. It stopped yapping immediately and followed her into the house and up the stairs to her room, its tail wagging all the way. Bella sat on her bed and patted the duvet next to her. The wolf jumped up eagerly and made itself comfortable beside her. As was its usual greeting, the wolf licked her face enthusiastically, making her giggle quietly.

"Oh Wolfie I am so happy that you are here. I was afraid you were a dream...but you are real." Bella flung her arms around his neck for the second time in one day and buried her head in his warm fur.

The young wolf lay his head on top of hers and closed his eyes in contentment. A deep rumbling noise that sounded like a cat's purr sounded from his chest and Bella smiled to herself. Her Wolfie was happy and so was she. After a few moments of comfortable silence Bella let Wolfie go and scrambled further onto her bed leaving two thirds of room for him to lie down. He gave her a big toothy grin and then opened his jaws, giving a wide yawn. Bella felt him snuggle close against her side and she gripped his fur in her hands, making sure this was all real and not some surreal dream. Wolfie whimpered in pain as she pulled at his fur and she relaxed her hold slightly.

"Sorry Wolfie..." Bella whispered.

The wolf licked her face one last time and then laid its head next to hers before he drifted off to sleep. Bella did not take long to follow him into slumber...

A/N-Awww...thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Part Three**

Jacob's head shot up as he heard movement outside Bella's door. A soft knock and a murmured, "Are you awake kiddo?" made his heart beat faster in trepidation. He glanced down at himself and realised he had phased back into his human form in his sleep. It was something he was prone to do and however hard he tried to control his spontaneous phasing he was still having some difficulty. He heard Bells moving next to him as her father knocked a bit louder and asked her the same question. Jacob slipped from the bed and crawled round to the side nearest the window, he sighed in relief when he saw that there was a gap underneath the bed under which he could hide. Within seconds he was safely concealed as Charlie Swan nudged open Bella's door and peered in at his drowsy looking daughter.

"Are you alright kiddo? I have just made us some breakfast...do you want to get up now?" Charlie asked her gently.

Bella rubbed her eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them. She was sure there was something she needed to do? An image of a small wolf cub penetrated the fog in her mind and brought her out of her stupor, Wolfie? Where was he? She glanced around fearfully, frightened that her dad would discover Wolfie still in her room. There appeared to be no sign of him. Part of her was sad that he had vanished but another part was glad that her father had not caught him in the house. Billy Black's warnings about keeping the wolf cub secret floated around in her head.

Charlie gazed at his daughter with concern, she seemed really out of it. He walked over to the bed and sat down next to her. "Bella are you really okay? If you need to talk about anything I will listen."

Bella just gave him a small smile and pulled the sweater tighter around her skinny frame. "I'm alright daddy. Let's get our breakfast."

Charlie stared at her for another few seconds before he gave in and led the way out of the room, Bella following slowly behind.

Underneath the bed Jacob felt his body relax as the tension leaked away. He had been so scared that Chief Swan would decide to investigate but he was obviously more interested in getting Bells to eat her breakfast. Jacob pondered what to do...he couldn't stay under Bells' bed all day. He lay on his back and stared up at the bottom of the mattress, he really was in a fix.

XXXXXX

Sarah Black came rushing out into the living room and straight over to her husband, who was eating his breakfast. "He's gone Billy, he's disappeared again. His bed has not been slept in all night..."

Billy put his spoon down and stood up quickly. He embraced his distraught wife as she slumped against him and wept on his shoulder. He smoothed her long, shiny black hair away from her face."It's going to be fine Sarah. I will find him, don't worry."

Sarah pulled away from her husband and glared up at him. "How will you find him? He can travel anywhere once he is phased into his wolf form. He is only five years old Billy, five...my little boy shouldn't have to deal with this."

Billy took Sarah's hands in his and held them tightly. "None of us wanted this sweetheart but it has happened and we have to deal. Jake is more resourceful then you think. To be honest I have a fair idea where he may have gone."

"Where?" Sarah demanded. "We have to go and get him right away."

"I think he has gone to the Swan house to see Charlie's daughter Bella. He was quite taken with her yesterday. She has seen Jacob's wolf Sarah." Billy admitted.

Comprehension dawned in Sarah's eyes and her hands flew to her mouth. "She knows that he can change into a wolf? Billy what if she blabs to Charlie or anyone else? The twins were hard enough to calm down. They however think it was just a real wolf they saw yesterday..."

Billy prised his wife's hands back away from her face. "She doesn't know that the wolf is actually Jake. In fact she was not scared at all, she calls the wolf her best friend. I asked her to keep it a secret and she was quite adamant that she would. I warned Jake that he must not let her know that it is him."

Sarah yanked her hands away and turned her back on him. "Well that part did not work. If what you say is true he has gone running straight after the girl. Why would he do that? Bella is only seven herself, they are too young to be weighed down with secrets."

Reaching out Billy took hold of Sarah's shoulders and turned his wife back round to face him. The tears glistened on her cheeks and he wiped them away. "Let me bring him home Sarah, then we can try and sort something out..."

Sarah nodded her head in affirmation and watched anxiously as her husband strode purposefully from the house to try and bring their son home.

XXXXXX

Bella gulped her breakfast down quickly, nearly choking in the process. She was feeling anxious about where Wolfie could have gone. She glanced up and saw he father glancing at her a concerned look on his face. Bella knew that he was probably worried about how strange she was acting, she never normally ate so fast. She forced herself to slow down and gave her dad a reassuring smile. He returned it and finally continued to eat his own breakfast. However inside Charlie Swan was far from convinced that things were fine.

After another ten minutes passed Bella finished her food and informed her dad that she was going to have a shower. Charlie nodded at her and watched her as she fled from the room. He really needed to get some advice. Maybe Billy's wife Sarah could help him, she had two young daughters of her own. Glad that he had made a decision Charlie cleared up the breakfast plates and dumped them in the sink.

Upstairs Bella stumbled her way into her room. A bright smile crossed her face as she saw Wolfie lying across her bed. She ran over to him and flung her thin arms around his neck, while he licked her face enthusiastically. Everything was now alright with her world...

XXXXXX

Billy pulled into the Swan's driveway and parked his pickup truck next to the police cruiser. He kept going over in his head what excuse he was going to make for wanting to have a word with Bella. He sighed heavily, no one else in the tribe had ever experienced this problem. He saw the front door open and Charlie's head popped out, he must have heard the truck. Billy waved and then slowly exited the vehicle.

"Hey chief how are you?" He called out in greeting.

"Not bad Billy, how about you?" Charlie replied as he opened the door wide and gestured for his friend to enter the house.

"I'm fine chief. I hope you don't mind but I was wondering if I could have a word with young Bella." Billy ventured to ask.

Charlie frowned. "Why do you need to speak to Bella?"

Billy scratched his chin thoughtfully."Oh you know how the twins were a bit horrible yesterday. Sarah wanted me to come over and check she was alright. You know what women are like."

"Why didn't you just use the phone Billy? I mean you have wasted valuable fuel driving all the way here." Charlie now appeared bemused as he gazed at Billy.

Billy cursed in his head. Once he got hold of his son he was going to be in big trouble. "Well err...actually Sarah was also wondering if young Bella would like to spend the day at our house. My son Jake enjoyed playing with her and I thought that we could go off fishing for a couple of hours while they had fun. Shall I go on up and ask her?"

"It's alright Billy I will call her down..."

"I think maybe it would be better for me to speak to her. I think she is more likely to agree...why don't you go on outside and get your fishing gear together..." Billy said in a rush, hoping that Charlie would just go along with it.

Charlie thankfully did not question Billy's statement further, the idea of being able to relax for a couple of hours fishing won out and Charlie nodded and left the house to get his stuff together. As soon as his friend left the house Billy charged up the stairs. He quickly opened the door to Bella's room, surprising both the occupants. His eyes narrowed as he saw Bella sitting next to the wolf stroking his fur. The young wolf was making a rumbling sound. Its eyes were closed in contentment.

However as soon as they both saw Billy Bella squealed and the wolf whimpered. He shook his head at the young wolf and it cowered down onto its belly, ears flat against its head.

"Bella I don't mean to scare you but you know how important it is to keep the wolf a secret. Now I have managed to distract your dad. The wolf needs to leave right now before he is discovered. Do you understand? "Billy tried to keep his tone soft so as not to alarm Bella further.

Bella nodded her head vigorously. She gently patted the wolf one last time. "I'll see you soon Wolfie, I promise. But you have to go."

The wolf cub glanced quickly over at Billy and then licked her face one last time and sprinted off the bed and down the stairs. Billy followed after him hastily. He had already opened the back door to the house and watched as the young wolf charged off into the trees, there would be time enough later to reprimand his son. For now disaster had been narrowly averted.

XXXXXX

Sarah watched as her young son sat next to Bella Swan. He had been trying for the last ten minutes to get her attention, but she hardly acknowledged him. His face was crestfallen as all his attempts to make her notice him failed. Bella had moved one of the kitchen chairs over to the window and was staring out toward the distant tree line, almost as if she was waiting to see something. Sarah knew exactly what that was. Billy was right. She had seen how much her son's face had lit up when Bella had first arrived. He had been hovering around her ever since, like a moth to a flame. Sarah decided to intervene.

"Bella..." She said making the young girl jump.

"Yes Mrs Black." Bella responded politely.

"Jacob here wants to play with you. Is that alright? I have some washing to catch up on so I would really appreciate it if you could entertain each other sweetie."

"Okay Mrs Black..." Bella replied.

"Call me Sarah sweetie..."

"Yes Sarah..." Bella gave her a small smile. Her hand was instantly engulfed with Jacob's as he grinned widely at her and yanked her off of the chair.

Sarah watched them both walk out of the front door and into the yard. She really hoped she had done the right thing...

XXXXXX

As soon as they were out of earshot of Jacob's mom, Bella pulled her hand away. Jacob turned to stare at her as she stepped back and crossed her arms. "You still have not said sorry for leaving me after your nasty sister's pushed me over."

Jacob blinked rapidly. What did she mean, he was there? He saw the hurt shining in her big brown eyes and he decided the easiest way was to apologise, even though he was not in the wrong. He just wanted to see her smile again, like before. "Sorry Bells..."

Bella studied him for a moment, making sure that he meant what he said. His head was hanging down and he seemed contrite. Bella decided to be magnanimous and forgive him, this time. "Okay just this once...don't do it again."

Jacob nodded quickly and without warning he threw his arms around Bella and squashed her in an enthusiastic bear hug. All the air was squeezed from her lungs. Jacob Black was quite strong for his age and tall. Even though there was two years difference he was slightly taller than Bella and looked older.

"Can't breathe Jake..." Bella managed to gasp out. Jake released her at once.

"Sorry Bells..." He mumbled, red tingeing his cheeks.

Once Bella regained her breath she smiled at him kindly. Taking his hand in her own she tugged him toward their unfinished mud castle. "Shall we finish the moat?"

Jacob grinned back at her, a sunny expression making his face shine. Bella felt her lips breaking out into a grin too. Really this holiday with her dad was turning out much better than she expected. She had made two new friends, her Wolfie and now Jake. They played happily side by side for the rest of the afternoon...

A/N-Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-This chapter is dedicated to __**Sparklingfae**__. I hope you enjoy honey :)_

**Part Four**

Leah scuffed her shoes along the floor and put her hands deep in the pockets of her dungarees. Behind her toddled her little brother Seth. He had just turned two and idolised his big sister and followed her everywhere, much to her annoyance. Her mother was visiting Mrs Black and had told Leah to go outside and play with the twins. When she found the twin's, Rachel and Rebecca had looked Leah up and down and sneered at her tomboyish outfit and short hair.

"We're busy, go and find our stupid little brother and his wimpy new friend. You look like a boy yourself anyway so you will fit right in." Rebecca said insultingly. Rachel had laughed at her twin's words.

Leah was not like Bella however and she ignored their barbed comments. She got great satisfaction by treading hard on Rebecca's foot and watching her squeal.

"You're mean...I'm gonna tell my mom about you." Rebecca cried.

"Do what you like? See if I care?" Leah smirked. Little Seth gurgled in delight at his sister's happiness and took her hand as they left the twins behind.

They wandered out into the front yard and caught sight of two mud covered figures immersed in building something. Leah presumed the one with the long dirt encrusted hair was Jacob's new friend and she rolled her eyes as she watched Jake following the girl like a little puppy. Seth tugged on her hand as his eyes lit up at the sight of all the muck. He loved getting dirty.

"Go play Lee Lee..." Seth begged his sister giving her his best pleading expression. He opened his big brown eyes wide and glanced at her from under his long lashes. It always worked as Leah caved in to her brother's demands and went to join the other two.

XXXXXX

Jacob hauled the bucket of water he had filled up from the outside tap. He was using it to fill the deep moat that he and Bella had been digging for the best part of the afternoon. As he approached the others he saw Leah and Bella with their heads bent close together, whispering. Seth was sitting next to them, his thumb in his mouth, smearing dirt all over his face with his free hand. Jacob placed the bucket down carefully and pouted. He was sick of Leah Clearwater and wished that she would just go home. Since she had ambushed both him and Bells, demanding that she be allowed to join in, Jake felt left out. Leah had been monopolizing Bella the whole time and this caused Bells to ignore him and Seth. His lower lip poked out further and a wicked gleam came into his eyes. He knew how to get rid of Leah.

He picked up the bucket again and continued to make his way over to the others, just as he reached them he threw the water over in Leah's direction. He watched as the water droplets shone in the air momentarily before they landed all over Leah and unfortunately Bella as well. Both girls let out surprised shrieks and Seth started to cry as he saw how upset Leah was.

"Jake, why did you do that?" Bella demanded, wiping the water from her face.

"I told you Bella he is a boy, they are all horrible. Well except for Sethy, but that's cos he is my brother." Leah glared over at Jacob.

Jacob ran over to Bella's side and began to apologise profusely. "Sorry Bells I was throwing it at Leah."

Bella scraped her messy hair away from her face. "Why? I thought you were my friend, Leah's right, stay away from us Jake."

"Bells I never..."

Bella turned away from him and made a dash for the house. Leah laughed at Jake's devastated expression. She picked up a wailing Seth from the ground and followed Bella back toward the house. Jacob watched Bella turn away from him and her words reverberated in his head. '_Stay away from us Jake.' _He felt angry tears well in his eyes and the tell tale heat surged through his body. Within seconds his outline shimmered and he phased into his wolf form. Bit's of his clothing flew through the air as he howled loudly and sprinted toward the nearby trees.

XXXXXX

Bella lay on her back in bed and let the cool breeze blowing through her open window soothe her nerves. She glanced at her alarm clock every so often, counting down the minutes until midnight. For some reason she knew that this would be the time that her Wolfie would appear. After another agonising five minutes, the clock finally showed that it was twelve o'clock. Bella scrambled off of her bed and leaned as far out of the window as she could, a smile broke out on her face as she saw him standing, wagging his tail madly.

Bella cautiously made her way down the stairs and over to the front door. She pulled it open and flinched as it squeaked. She hesitated for a moment as she listened out for any movement from her dad's room. There was not a sound and she let out her breath in a sigh of relief. Creeping out of the front door she closed it quietly behind her and then ran over to meet Wolfie, who was standing waiting for her. As was her usual greeting she flung her arms round his neck and laid her head next to his. Wolfie licked her face enthusiastically and made a rumbling noise.

"It's not safe to go to my room Wolfie," Bella whispered in his ear. "We nearly got caught yesterday...we need to find a place where no one will find us. Remember Mr Black said that you needed to keep safe."

Wolfie's whole demeanour changed as his tail lowered and he slumped to the dirt floor in a submissive posture. Bella felt tears prick at her eyes as she saw him cower down at the mention of Jacob's father. It's almost as if he knew he was breaking the rules in coming to see her. Bella's heart went out to the young wolf and she buried her head in his warm fur and whispered soothing words.

"I love you Wolfie...you are my bestest friend." Bella murmured. The little wolf's ears perked up at her words and his tail began to wag slowly. Bella smiled, glad that she had cheered him up.

XXXXXX

Bella followed Wolfie as they wandered through the dark forest. There was hardly any light so in the end Bella had to grab onto Wolfie's fur as he had good eyesight. He carefully led her through the trees, making sure to take the easy path so that she would not trip. They walked for a good half an hour, Bella's feet were getting sore, she only had on a pair of slippers. A shaft of moonlight appeared through the trees and caught her attention. It must mean that there was a clearing ahead, Wolfie seemed eager to reach the place as he increased his pace slightly.

As they passed the last of the trees, a magical sight greeted Bella's astonished eyes. A small lake shimmered in the light cast by the moon and the sound of running water made her turn her head in that direction. A waterfall poured down from a small rock face. It made rainbow colours as it hit the lake's surface. Bella gasped in delight and she stumbled her way over to the edge of the lake and drank in the amazing view.

"Wolfie, this is beautiful."

Wolfie whined in response and to Bella's surprise he took a great leap and landed in the water. She stared in awe as he swam carefully back and forth. At one point he dived underwater and she held her breath in trepidation until he resurfaced. Eventually he got bored playing in the water and swam back to the side. He managed to scramble out and he sprayed water all over Bella as he shook his wet fur out to dry it.

Eventually both of them lay down. Bella was leaning against Wolfie's side. His warmth infused her with a sense of peace and her heavy eyes closed as she drifted off to sleep. One of her hands was wound tightly in Wolfie's fur and she instinctively snuggled closer to him. Wolfie yawned widely, showing all his teeth and then gently rested his head next to hers and joined her in slumber.

XXXXXX

Charlie Swan woke up from a restful sleep. Yesterday had been a good day. Fishing with Billy and Harry had brought him a sense of peace. Bella had made another new friend with Harry's daughter Leah, the two of them had been as thick as thieves for the remainder of his time there. However he had felt for young Jacob, the poor boy had been totally ignored by both his daughter and Leah. He could see how much the boy craved Bella's attention. He had tried to remonstrate with her to include Jake but she had been insistent that he had upset her. As always Charlie had given in.

He stretched each of his limbs and finally swept back the bed covers and got up. He picked up his ratty old dressing gown, an old gift from Renee and pulled it on. Yawning heavily Charlie made his way over to Bella's door and tapped lightly. "Hey kiddo, ready for some breakfast?"

There was no response. She must be really heavily asleep. He tried again. "Hey kiddo it's time to get up."

Silence.

Charlie's brow furrowed. He didn't like to just barge in but as she was not responding he knew that he would have to disturb her. He opened the door slowly and gazed into her room. She wasn't there. He opened the door wider and entered the room fully, searching wildly. Her bed was made and there was no sign that it had even been slept in. His heart rate increased in tempo. He tore out of the room and down the stairs calling Bella's name.

Again all that greeted him was silence. Panic set in...he rooted through every room and hiding place that he thought a seven year could conceal herself in. Nothing...

Charlie Swan was the chief of police. In his daily job there was nothing that had yet to faze him or strike fear into his heart. The fact that his small daughter was missing terrified him. His mind was assaulted with all sorts of fears. His police training deserted him as he picked up the phone and dialled the number of the one person who he had always been able to rely on.

"Hello..." Billy Black's tired voice finally answered.

"Billy I need your help...she's missing my Bells is gone." Charlie's voice shook as he tried to convey what had happened.

Billy's eyes opened wide and he turned his gaze onto his wife Sarah who had also just emerged from their shared bedroom. He mouthed what Charlie had just revealed to him and she gasped. She turned and ran to Jake's room, hoping desperately that he would be there. It was empty. She made her way back to her husband and nodded her head in affirmation. Billy closed his eyes as his heart sank. Jake was with Bella and nobody knew where they had gone...

A/N-Super angsty I know...sorry Nikki :(


	5. Chapter 5

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-As a thank you to all the kind readers who have left such sweet reviews on this story I have posted this chapter earlier. Thanks again! Nikki :)**_

**Part Five**

Jacob felt the sun shining in his eyes. He opened one eye and took in his surroundings. His hand came into his line of vision and he realised that he had once again phased back into his human form while he slept. He shifted around carefully and he saw Bella sprawled out beside him. Her long chestnut hair was fanned out around her and her long lashes cast shadows on her cheeks. Jacob saw her chest rising and falling as she breathed. Luckily she was still deeply asleep.

Getting quietly to his feet Jacob stared around, searching intently. A smile crossed his lips as he spotted what he was after. His feet made hardly any sound on the mossy floor as he sprinted over to some thick shrubbery. He knelt down on his hands and knees and rummaged around until his fingers touched the smooth material of a back pack. He yanked it out and emptied the contents on the ground. He grinned as he saw a spare pair of shorts and a t-shirt plus a packet of biscuits spread before him. As a precaution Jacob had clothes and other small essentials hidden in various places throughout the immediate area. As he had such trouble controlling his phasing his dad had insisted he stash some extra clothes and food within easy reach.

Jacob's eyes widened as he heard movement behind him. He glanced back and saw that Bella was waking up. He quickly pulled on the shorts and tugged the t-shirt over his head. A determined glint came into his eyes. He shoved his dad's warnings about keeping his identity a secret from Bella to the back of his mind. Jacob was tired of keeping secrets. Bells loved Wolfie, she had said so. If she knew that he was the wolf then she would be his friend for real.

Bella suddenly sat up and her hair cascaded around her thin shoulders. Yawning widely she rubbed at her eyes, trying to get used to the weak sunshine. She shivered slightly in the cool morning air and after finally feeling more awake, she began to look around for Wolfie. Where was he? In fact where were they? Bella heard the sound of running water and she once again took in the astonishing view of the little waterfall and the lake. She was so immersed in what she was looking at that she didn't notice Jake walking up behind her.

"Bells wanna biscuit?" Jake waved the pack at her hopefully.

Bella's loud scream echoed round the small clearing and roosting birds flew up into the air, cawing with fright. Tears sprang out of Jacob eye's at her reaction to his presence and he dropped the biscuits and fell to the forest floor, his hands over his ears. Bella breathed in and out trying to calm herself down. She hadn't meant to scream like that but his unexpected appearance had taken her by surprise. What was he doing here? Guilt washed over her as she saw him fall to his knees, tears glistening in his eyes.

"Jake...stop...Jake I'm sorry alright. You just gave me a shock that's all. Please don't be upset?" Bella reached out and gently touched Jake's shoulder.

Jacob took his hands away from his ears and turned his tear streaked face to look at her. He could see the sincerity shining form her large chocolate brown eyes and her touch felt soothing. Reaching down he picked up the abandoned packet of biscuits and held then out to her again.

"Thanks..." Bella murmured as she took one. Jake took one too, but he shoved it all into his mouth, crumbs falling down his chin as he chewed.

After a few minutes of silence Bella finally broached the subject of what he was doing there. "Jake, how did you get here?"

Jacob's hands ran through his shiny, black hair nervously. He drew up all his courage and blurted out everything, "You love Wolfie, you said so. I wanna be your friend but you didn't wanna be mine. I said sorry but you went off with Leah. We had fun last night, you said so before we fell asleep."

Bella listened to his garbled explanation. He made no sense. One thing stood out though. Jacob Black knew about Wolfie. Bella felt her heart speed up with trepidation. "You know about Wolfie? Did you follow us or something? You are five Jake how did you even get here?"

Jacob watched as Bella wrung her hands together as she began to panic. Billy had warned her that it was not safe for other's to know about Wolfie, otherwise his life would be in danger. What would Jacob do now that he knew? His warms hands suddenly clasped hers and Bella felt like an electric charge had just run through her whole body at his touch.

"Bells I am Wolfie..." Jacob admitted his voice soft.

Bella heard the desperate tone to his voice and gazed intently into his eyes. There were no mistaking things now as she finally realised how blind she had been. Wolfie's dark eyes stared back at her. Jacob Black was her Wolfie. Bella reached out a trembling hand and gently touched Jake's cheek.

"You are my Wolfie..." Bella murmured as Jacob closed his eyes in relief.

XXXXXX

Billy had called Harry Clearwater as soon as he put the phone down. He knew that Harry was the best tracker in the area and would hopefully be able to trace his son and Bella easier then he could. Sarah begged her husband to find their little boy quickly. She tried to keep herself together as the twins finally emerged from their room demanding attention. Billy gave Sarah a quick kiss on the lips and then left the house.

"I think it best to start from Charlie's house and make our way from there." Harry suggested. Billy had driven over to the Clearwater's and picked his old friend up.

"Yeah...what do we do about the chief though? He will want to come on the search? I can't have him finding Jake in his wolf form." Billy hit the steering wheel in his frustration. "I warned him Harry, over and over but he has just blatantly ignored me."

"He is just a five year old kid Billy. It's not his fault. He seems to have a deep attachment to this girl...you know he could have im..."

Billy glared at his friend. "Don't even go there?" He said in a warning tone.

Harry sighed heavily. "You can't keep ignoring things Billy, The boy is running half wild as it is, disappearing off on his own for hours and at night as the wolf. Maybe it is a good thing he has found Bella she could be the one thing keeping him grounded."

Billy's face registered utter sadness at Harry's words. "Harry she lives with her mother in Phoenix. If what you say is true then...I can't bear to think of the consequences if they are separated."

Harry slumped back in his seat. He did not know what to say to reassure his friend. "Look Jake's phasing at such a young age has taken us all by surprise. It has never happened in that way before, maybe he just really likes Bella and that is all."

Billy nodded as he stared out of the windscreen in front of him. "Yes that is all it is...they are friends." He said, trying to convince himself.

XXXXXX

A desperate Charlie greeted them outside as Billy drove his pickup truck into the driveway of the Swan house. It took a lot of coaxing from both his friends before he calmed down enough to listen to them rationally.

"Charlie you would be better off staying in the house while Harry and I search for her. What if she is close by and returns and you are not here. Please chief it is for the best." Billy said for the tenth time.

Charlie grabbed at his hair and yanked on the ends. "Renee is right Billy I am a useless father. It took me ages to persuade her to let Bells spend the week here and now look, she has run away..."

"Do not listen to anything that bitch says Charlie...your daughter has not RUN away old man, she probably just wandered off and got a bit lost. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself and let us get on with looking for her." Billy stated harshly.

Fire shot from Charlie's eyes at Billy's comments. They both glared at each other momentarily until Harry, who was always the peacemaker between the two men, intervened. "Calm down both of you. Billy is right Charlie, we are wasting time arguing like this..."

At his words Charlie's shoulders slumped. "Please just find her and bring her home safe..." He said brokenly.

"Always..." Billy promised. He nodded at Harry and the two men headed off into the trees, Charlie gazing after them anxiously.

XXXXXX

Bella sat cross legged in front of Jacob as he told her everything. As soon as he had voiced his confession it all came pouring out. She listened quietly as he told her about phasing for the first time and how scared he had been. Luckily it had been in front of his dad so he was able to help him with the situation. The only other people that knew were his mom and some of the tribal elders.

"You can't tell anyone else Bells...you can't..." Jacob begged her.

"Wolfie I mean you...this is so weird...you are my best friend. I already promised I would never tell."Bella replied.

A sunny grin spread across Jacob's face at her words. "I am your best friend, really?"

"Well duh...you are Wolfie, Wolfie is you, so yeah." Bella shrugged her shoulders, not sure how else to put it.

Jacob's grin got wider and he held out his hand. "Best friends..."

Bella smiled back at him in amusement. She gently took his proffered hand in her own. "Yeah...best friends."

XXXXXX

It didn't take long for Harry and Billy to track the two children down. Bella and the wolf had made a clear trail and Harry followed it easily with his expert eye. After half an hour of tracking they saw a break in the trees.

"Hunter's lake, I should have guessed. I have brought Jake here enough times when I was showing him how to fish. "Billy said. Sounds of laughter suddenly assaulted both men's ears and they jogged the last few yards and out into the clearing.

Bella and Jake were chasing each other back and forth, playing. Bella had just thrown a bunch of leaves over Jake's head and she was giggling at his shocked expression. "That's for throwing water over me and Leah yesterday."

Billy and Harry exchanged astonished glances. It took a few seconds for both men to recover as they continued to observe the two children interacting. Some innate instinct finally registered with Jake and his head shot up and he stared intently over at the trees. His keen eyesight soon picked out his dad and Harry Clearwater standing by the trees. His grin faded as he saw his dad's angry face.

"Jake what's wrong?" Bella asked as she saw his crestfallen expression.

"My dad's here..." Jake said dully. "They found us."

Bella turned her eyes in the same direction as his and she saw both men approaching them. She gently took Jake's hand in her own and squeezed it. "Don't worry it's gonna be fine."

Jake just nodded in reply as his dad finally reached them. Billy hunkered down in front of his son. "What the hell were you thinking Jacob Black?"

Jacob lowered his head as he heard his dad's angry tone. But his dad took him by surprise as he suddenly pulled his son into a tight hug. "Don't ever disappear like that again, promise me Jake? Your mom and I have been so worried."

Tears of shame ran down Jacob's cheeks as he returned his dad's hug. "I promise...I'm sorry. I just wanted to see Bells."

Billy felt his heart beat fast as he heard his son's confession. There was no denying the facts now. His son shared some sort of connection with Charlie's daughter. It needed to be faced. Harry had taken hold of Bella's hand and they waited patiently for Billy and Jake to join them.

Billy finally released his son and took his hand. He gave Bella a small smile. "Your daddy's been very worried about you Bella. Like I told Jake you must promise never to run off and disappear like that. If you want to play together then we will arrange set times. You must promise never to do this again?"

Bella chewed on her bottom lip. She felt guilty as soon as Jacob's dad mentioned hers. She nodded her agreement.

"Well let's get you two back home shall we?" Harry suggested. He continued to hold Bella's hand as they made their journey back to the Swan house.

XXXXXX

Charlie was sitting on the front steps leading up to the front door when they all arrived back. As soon as he caught sight of Bella he ran over and engulfed her in a hug. Not normally a very demonstrative man, the utter devastation he had felt at the possible loss of his little girl overrode any hesitation on his part. Bella put her thin arms around his neck and hugged him back.

"I'm sorry daddy," Bella apologised.

Charlie felt wetness on his cheeks as tears of relief rolled down them. "It's alright kiddo you're home now, your home."

A/N-I swear I was crying at the last part *wipes tears* Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Part Six**

Quil Ateara watched his friend Jacob Black press his face to the window and stare outside longingly. He had been brought over to play with Jake by his great grandfather, who went by the name of 'Old Quil.' He had come over to the Black's house to discuss important tribal business and had decided to bring Quil with him to keep Jacob company. However Quil was now bored, all Jake did was keep checking the big clock in the kitchen and look out the window. He had babbled to Quil that a girl was coming to visit, called Bells. Quil had been dismissive and said that all girls were stupid, since then Jake had been ignoring him.

Eventually the sound of a car pulling into the driveway made a big grin cross Jacob's face. He shoved his way past a protesting Quil and bolted for the front door. His mom, Sarah, was already there greeting the new arrivals.

"Hey Charlie, how are you?" She enquired softly.

"Not bad Sarah. Thanks for inviting Bells over to play that is so nice of you." Charlie replied, a tired smile crossing his face.

Sarah laid a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Hush now, you know that Bella can come play any time. How are you sweetie?"

Bella smiled in return. "I am alright thank you Mrs Blac..."

"Sarah child, call me Sarah." She gently chided Bella.

"Thank you Sarah." Bella responded shyly. "I am...oof..." Bella's air supply was cut off as Jacob appeared out of nowhere and gave her a bear hug.

"Bells...you are late." He declared as his mom demanded he put Bella back down.

Charlie chuckled at the children's actions and Sarah thought his lightened expression improved his looks no end. She caught his hand in her own and tugged him inside. "Come in Charlie. Billy is nearly finished with speaking to Old Quil. Have a drink with me while the little ones go and play."

"Thanks Sarah. I could use a drink. Renee was on the phone earlier demanding that Bella return home early. We had a bad row, but I managed to get her to back down thank god." Charlie replied, tiredness clear in his tone.

Sarah's lips pursed as she thought about Charlie's former wife. She had a few choice curse words that she would love to say, but she knew that deep down Charlie Swan still held a candle for Renee and would clam up if she said anything. Instead she gave him a sympathetic pat on the arm and followed him into the kitchen.

XXXXXX

Jacob had a tight hold on Bella's hand and he towed her over to Quil and showed her off proudly. "This is my Bells..."

Quil examined the girl carefully. She was skinny, very pale, had long chestnut hair and huge chocolate brown eyes. He was not impressed and could not understand all the fuss that Jacob was making over her.

"Hello Quil I am Bella." She said politely holding out her hand.

Quil took her hand and shook it limply. "Are you stupid Bella? Most girls are. Jake's sisters are way stupid."

"Bells is not stupid. Bells is clever...I know...umph." Jake's voice was muffled as Bella put her hand over his mouth.

"I can speak for myself Jake. Now listen Quil, most girls are not stupid. I admit that the twin's can be silly sometimes but don't think all girls are like them." Bella stated boldly. She finally released her hand from Jake's mouth and he gulped in air.

Quil frowned, not at all convinced. He had heard his grandfather call women stupid on a number of occasions and Old Quil knew everything. "Well okay...wanna climb trees? If you climb a tree then maybe you aren't so stupid."

Bella could feel Jake shaking beside her, she had already learned that this meant that he was getting angry and that could cause him to phase into Wolfie. There was no way she could let this boy see that. "Alright, if that's what it takes to show you. I will climb a tree."

Jacob gazed at her anxiously. "Bells...No I don't want you to climb, the trees are way high."

Bella smiled bravely at him. "I need to show Quil I am not scared. I'll be alright."

Jacob trailed anxiously behind her as she followed Quil to the nearest tree overhanging the Black's back yard. The branches were thin and it did not look safe at all, Bella began to regret her hasty declaration. She exchanged a worried look with Jake. Quil stood behind them both and laughed.

"Don't worry Bells, is it? It's okay to be stupid." He said sarcastically.

In a flash Jacob turned round and pushed Quil over. There was a mad scramble as both boys began to fight. Bella put her hands to her mouth and watched in trepidation as they wrestled and turned over and over on the muddy ground. Eventually Jake pounded Quil hard and the other boy began to cry.

"Take back what you said about Bells..." Jacob demanded.

Quil crawled away from Jacob and managed to get to his feet. His face and hair were covered in mud and his t-shirt was torn where Jacob had yanked on it. "I'm sorry Bella..." He mumbled.

Bella nodded tersely at him and hurried over to Jacob's side. She could see that he was shaking and she leaned her head next to his and whispered in his ear. "You need to get out of here Jake. Your outline is blurring...you can't let Quil see you. I will be alright now, go..."

Jacob gave her one last glance and then ran away toward the nearest tree cover. Bella watched him go sadly.

"Where's he going'?" Quil asked her, staring after Jacob's rapidly disappearing figure.

"None of your business Quil Ateara..." Bella replied irritably, she shoved her hands in her pockets and began to walk back to the house.

"Hey Girl...hey...look I didn't mean to upset him. Jake is my best friend." Quil called after her.

Bella spun around and glared at the boy. "My name is not girl...its Bella. Jake is my friend too and let's get one thing clear, all girls are not stupid."

Quil lowered his head and ran a hand though his short hair, leaving it standing up in spikes. He scuffed the front of one of his sneakers along the ground. "Alright I get it, you're not that stupid. Maybe a bit bossy though."

Bella grinned. "Bossy, huh? I like that. No one has ever called me that before. I mean you are a bit dumb, but I forgive you. Can't we be friends too?"

Quil's cheeks flushed red and he looked up at Bella from under his eyelashes. "Well alright...I never had a girl as a friend before."

"Cool..." Bella replied. Leah had used the word a lot and Bella thought she would try it out. "Look let's go inside and wait for Jake. Sarah makes the best milkshakes, wanna try a strawberry flavour one?"

Quil nodded at her and finally smiled back at her. Maybe girls weren't so bad after all...

XXXXXX

It took a good half an hour before Jacob calmed down enough to phase back into his human form. He crept around to the garage and slipped inside where some spare clothes were kept. He pulled out a t-shirt and some sweats and yanked them on. He was still angry at Quil, why had he been so horrible to his Bells? Jacob had decided that Quil was no longer his friend. He had Bells and that was all that mattered. He strolled back to the house and darted inside. His mom caught sight of him straight away. Bella had let her know that he had gone wolf for a while.

Sarah knelt down in front of her son and gently stroked his chin length hair away from his sweaty face. "Are you alright Jake? Bella said you needed some time to calm down sweetie."

Jacob pouted. He tried to look past his mother to see if he could catch sight of Bells. Sarah sighed as she saw what he was doing. He really was attached to Charlie's daughter in quite an intense way. He was only five and it worried her intensely. She had been up half the night pacing, worrying what was going to happen when Bella went home in the next couple of days. Billy had been talking things through with Old Quil, he was the oldest member of the tribe and the most knowledgeable.

"Can I go now mom?" Jacob's annoyed voice cut through Sarah's reverie.

Sarah smiled at him weakly and kissed him on the forehead. "I love you son." She said softly.

For a few seconds, Jacob looked her in the eye and smiled. "Love you too mom. Now can I go and find Bells?"

Sarah nodded and stood up. Jacob ran off and sprinted into the main living room his eyes searching for Bella...

XXXXXX

Jacob eventually found Bella sitting at the kitchen table with Quil. Sarah had been baking cakes and they had been enthusiastically been helping themselves to the left over cake mixture, dipping their fingers in and licking them clean. Quil was pulling funny faces and making Bella giggle. Jacob frowned as he saw them having fun.

"Bells..." He called out to her.

Bella's head shot up and she smiled widely when she saw that Jacob had returned. She slipped off of the chair and stumbled her way over to his side. "Are you alright now, Jake?"

Jacob felt relieved when she came straight over to him. He glared over at Quil then took Bella's hand in his own. "Still best friends?" He asked her worriedly.

Bella knew exactly what was bothering him. She glanced back at Quil and then leaned closer to whisper in his ear. "Yes, you are my best friend in the whole world Jake."

Jacob's face was transformed as he gave Bella one of his big sunny grins. She smiled back at him and tugged him over to join Quil at the table. They all played together happily for the next few hours.

XXXXXX

Billy and Sarah lay together side by side in bed. The kid's were long asleep and the only light shining was a small lamp that illuminated their small bedroom. Tears were still running down Sarah's face after the news that her husband had just imparted to her. Billy had whispered soothing words to his wife but nothing could make her feel any better.

"She goes home in two days Billy, two days? What the hell are we going to do? If Old Quil is right, the separation could harm them both." Sarah muttered. More tears poured out of her eyes.

Billy sat up so that he was half leaning over his wife. A determined look was in his eyes. "Nothing will happen to our son Sarah, I promise. I talked things through and Old Quil has given me permission to talk to Charlie. I am going to let him in on the secret, there is no way I am going to let my boy or Bella be separated now. Charlie needs to make sure that Bella stays in Forks."

Sarah gazed up at her husband and stared into his eyes, hoping that things would be okay.

XXXXXX

Midnight rolled round and Bella was already at the door when Wolfie appeared out of the dark night and greeted her by licking her face enthusiastically. She giggled and flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Glancing around to make sure they were not seen Bella let Wolfie go ahead of her and then closed the front door quietly. She followed him up the stairs and into her room. He jumped on the bed and wagged his tail at her, making her giggle again. She crawled up on the bed next to him and grabbed onto his fur tightly. Wolfie lay down beside her and yawned. Bella yawned too and laid her head against his warm side as her eyes drifted shut. Wolfie soon followed her into slumber...

A/N-Thanks for reading...Nikki :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-Thank you so much to all the kind people who read and reviewed the last chapter. I am sorry I did not get to reply personally but my e-mails have not been working properly, sigh. **_

**Part Seven**

Billy and Sarah sat across from Charlie Swan, waiting for him to react to their startling piece of news. Charlie seemed stunned, he was holding onto his coffee mug tightly.

"You are not serious surely?" Charlie finally regained control of his vocal chords.

Sarah sat forward and gently took one of Charlie's hands. "We are serious Charlie. I know that you think what we say is farfetched, but I can see it in your eyes, you do believe."

Snatching his hand away Charlie ran his hand through his hair. Glancing over his shoulder he looked over at his daughter playing happily with Jacob. He then returned his gaze to Billy and Sarah. "Bella and I will be leaving now, thank you for the coffee." He stood up from his chair and called out to Bella.

"Where are you going old man?" Billy demanded.

"I am going home where life makes some sort of sense. I have known you for years Billy Black, I can't believe you would pull this sort of spiritual bullshit on me. It was bad enough finding your son in my daughter's room this morning. How he got there I don't know...but to come up with this fairy tale as an explanation? Bella move, I said we were leaving..." Charlie was really riled up and he saw his daughter flinch at his harsh tone.

Billy's own anger was beginning to surface. How dare Charlie dismiss things so easily? He scraped his chair back and glared at him. Sarah tried to catch her husband's hand but he avoided her touch. "You old fool...sit back down. Do you really think I would come out with some cock and bull story? You have known me for years Charlie Swan..."

Bella began to cry as she heard the two men arguing. Jacob put his arms round her and she huddled next to him, drawing much needed comfort from his presence. Charlie frowned as he watched the two of them.

"They are so young Billy..." Charlie said, his voice sounding defeated."I'm sorry...I do believe you...I have seen and heard enough to know that there are things in this world that can't be explained. I am just so scared for Bells. If what you say is correct then she could become ill if she is separated from your son?"

Billy sat back down and took his wife's hand in his own, he could feel how tense she was. "I am not going to sugar-coat things Charlie. Yes I fear what will happen to both Jake and Bella if she returns to Phoenix to live with Renee."

Charlie slumped back down into his seat. He felt utterly defeated. "I would love Bella to stay with me permanently Billy...but Renee has custody..."

Bella heard her dad's words and she wandered over to him, towing Jacob by the hand. "Daddy, can I live with you?"

Charlie felt like his heart was going to break as he was confronted with two sets of pleading eyes. Jacob was clutching tightly on to Bella's hand and it brought home to Charlie how close the two of them had become in such a short space of time. "If this is what you really want kiddo, then you will need to help me to convince your mom."

Bella nodded at him earnestly. "I wanna stay with you daddy. Momma is too busy to play with me. I wanna stay with you."

Charlie held out his arms and Bella let go of Jacob's hand and ran over to him, climbing onto his lap. "I would like that too Bells, I am going to call your mom. How do you feel about that?"

Bella beamed at him and flung her arms around his neck. Bella was never usually this clingy and it made it clear to Charlie how much he needed to fight to keep his daughter with him. Billy and Sarah exchanged relieved looks. Charlie had taken the news better than expected. However Renee would be a different matter. They both knew that she would not give Bella up without a fight.

"Chief what will you do?" Billy asked him softly.

A determined look crossed Charlie's face. "I am going to do what I should have done from the beginning...I am going to fight for my little girl."

Sarah got up from her chair and made her way over to Charlie and Bella and flung her arms around them both. "Thank you." She said simply.

Jacob, who did not want to feel left out of the group hug, ran over to his mom and clung to her legs. She laughed and Billy soon joined them, wrapping his arms around his wife.

XXXXXX

Charlie picked up the phone and dialled his ex-wife's number. Bella was staying with Billy and Sarah while he made the first tentative steps in broaching the subject with Renee. The phone rang interminably and he was just about to give up when she finally answered.

"Hello..."

"Renee..."

"Charlie? What have you done now?"

"Done? I haven't done anything...I want to talk to you about Bella."

"Bella? What about her? Does she want to come back early?"

"No...I am not going to drag this out Renee...Bella wants to stay here with me."

What? Don't give me that crap Charlie...you just want to take her away from me?"

"Do you ever just think that maybe our daughter never wanted to move away from Fork's? It was all your decision. "

"I am going to fly over and collect her Charlie. I won't have you turning her against me."

"I am not turning her against you woman. I am stating facts. Bella wants to stay with me."

Silence...

"Renee, are you there?"

"I don't know what rubbish you have been feeding my daughter..."

"Our daughter...she is mine too remember."

"I am booking a flight ...expect me within 48 hours..."

"She is staying here with me Renee..."

"Like I said Charlie, expect me within forty eight hours..."

The phone line went dead and Charlie gave a big sigh. The shit had certainly hit the fan...

XXXXXX

Jacob and Bella were sitting out in the front yard in a swing that Billy had built for his wife Sarah as a honeymoon gift. The light was fading and both youngsters seemed to sense a change in the air. They both felt subdued and unhappy. Bella was sitting far away from Jacob, almost as if she was already preparing herself for their imminent separation. Jacob kept glancing over at her, a worried frown on his face.

"Bells..."

"Yeah..."She whispered.

"Why are you so sad?" Jacob asked her.

Bella looked over at him, surprised at how perceptive he was. He was only five after all and she was two years older. However he already seemed to know her so well, enough to sense how unhappy she was feeling anyway. She felt a warm hand grasp her own and she gazed at him, tears in her eyes.

"Bells..." he said again.

"Jake I'm scared..." Bella finally confessed.

"Why?"

"Because I am going to have to go home..." Tears began to leak out of her eyes as she revealed her greatest fear.

Jacob shifted closer to her and reached out to wipe her tears away. "You stay here..."

"No Jake, don't you understand. I live with my mom and it is far away. I am only visiting my dad. "Bella said fiercely.

Jacob frowned and he stared at Bella uncertainly. "Are you gonna leave?"

Bella tugged on the ends of her long hair and bit her lip in agitation. "I don't want to go...but I might have to."

Jacob's body began to shake as her words finally sank in. His Bells was going to be taken away? As always happened when his emotions overwhelmed him, Jacob phased into his wolf form. Bella had never actually seen the transformation before. She was totally shocked to see Jacob's outline blur rapidly, as if he was suddenly out of focus. Then as she blinked bits of his clothing were floating in the air and Wolfie was standing before her, his tail down and ears flat against his head.

Bella stared at the young wolf and her heart melted. She flung her arms around him and buried her head in his warm fur. "I don't wanna go Wolfie...I wanna stay here."

Wolfie whimpered in sympathy and he lay his head on top of hers. Bella grabbed hold of his fur tightly and then really let herself go. Her tears soaked Wolfie's fur as she sobbed loudly. The thought of leaving everything behind to go back to living with her mom in Phoenix made her heart hurt. She wanted to live with her dad in Fork's so that she could see her best friend every day and feel safe.

Eventually Bella cried herself to sleep, she was slumped against Wolfie's side, grasping onto him tightly. He was still wide awake, staring out into the darkening night. That was how Billy found them, he hunkered down in front of his son and looked into his wolf eyes. All his unhappiness was shining from them and it made a lump come into Billy's throat.

"I will not let them take her away son. I promise you...You believe your old man don't ya?" Billy scratched behind Wolfie's ears.

Wolfie's tail wagged slightly. His dad was clever, he would not let Bella's mom take her away. He licked his dad's face and Billy smiled at his son sadly. He only hoped that Charlie would be able to come to some arrangement with Renee and keep Bella close by. He could not bear to think of the consequences if he failed...

A/N-I am not really happy with this chapter...thanks for reading anyway! :(


	8. Chapter 8

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Part Eight**

Charlie sat opposite Martin Lewis, he was a local lawyer, his practise was based in Port Angeles but he covered Forks whenever legal advice was needed at the station. He sighed and gazed at Charlie gravely. He shuffled some papers to distract himself. Martin liked Chief Swan a lot; he had gotten to know him well over the years. He remembered when Renee had first left, taking little Bella with her. Charlie had been devastated and not himself for weeks.

"Well Martin what do you think my chances are?" Charlie asked, getting impatient with Martin's obvious stalling.

Martin cleared his throat noisily. "To put it bluntly Chief, not great..."

Charlie's eyes opened wide in shock. He hadn't expected such a negative reaction. "Why? I have a good career, a house...I don't understand?"

"Chief, Renee already has legal custody. She is Bella's mother; the law always favours the child staying with the mother more than the father. I know that it is unfair but that is the way it is. Renee has a job and a house in Arizona; she is supporting them both and has shown no sign of parental neglect of Bella. If you did take this custody battle to the courts it would be costly, with a small chance of winning, not only that but the emotional cost for all concerned could be very severe. Do you really want to place your daughter in a tug of war between her parents?" Martin said gravely.

"No...but Bella has clearly stated that she wants to live with me in Forks, surely that has to count for something?" Charlie ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

Martin looked at Charlie kindly. "She is only seven Chief, children of that age change their minds daily. I am sorry but my advice is to talk to your ex wife and see if she will allow you more access to your daughter..."

Charlie felt despair washing over him and he scraped back his chair. "Thanks for the advice Martin. I have to get back home now."

"I'm sorry I couldn't give you more help Chief..." Martin replied sadly.

"Me too...me too..." Charlie muttered as he left the room.

XXXXXX

Sarah watched Jacob and Bella as they helped her make cupcakes in the small kitchen. She was trying to distract them as Bella's mother was right at this moment at the Swan house with Charlie. Renee had arrived earlier than expected and tensions were rife as she had barked at Bella to pack her things, they were going straight home on the next return flight. Charlie had been livid and a loud argument had erupted between the pair, alarming their small daughter immensely.

Charlie had been shocked to see his little girl looking so distraught, he had phoned Sarah and asked her to look after Bella, while he and Renee discussed things. When Sarah had arrived to collect Bella, Renee had shot her a vicious glare and she had felt her blood beginning to boil. If it was not for the fact that Bella was there to witness it, Sarah would have given Renee a piece of her mind. However she had silently acknowledged Charlie's thanks and left the Swan residence, holding on firmly to Bella's hand.

She was brought out of her reverie by giggling. Jacob had managed to smear some of the cake mixture all over his nose and Bella was laughing at him. He had an adorable expression on his face as he tried to squint in order to see his nose. Sarah felt her lips quirk up into a smile. She walked over to the two children and engulfed them both in a hug. Both children squealed in delight, causing Sarah to burst out laughing.

XXXXXX

Charlie slammed the mug of coffee in front of Renee, startling her. She glared at him and took the warm mug in both hands. She sipped the hot liquid and winced as it burnt her mouth. "You never could make a decent cup of coffee." She grumbled.

"We are not here to discuss your dislike for the way I make hot beverages. Bella will be staying here with me in Forks." Charlie stated bluntly.

Renee bristled at his sharp tone. She was not used to Charlie speaking to her in this way. He usually chose his words carefully and he hardly ever raised his voice. "I have full legal custody. Bella is settled into a good school, I have a job and I am renting a good house. Why would I even consider her returning to live here in the back of beyond with a man who is married to his job and spends what free time he does have fishing."

Charlie narrowed his eyes and breathed heavily, trying to maintain some sort of control over his temper. He placed his hands on the table and leaned forward. "I am so done with pussyfooting around you woman. I know exactly what kind of life you lead back in Phoenix."

"What do you mean?" Renee asked tremulously, worry showing in her eyes.

"I will be blunt...I know that you may have a job and rent a house, but how long will that last? You never stick to one job for more than five minutes. You were fired from your last one for turning up late or not at all. This is the fourth house you have rented in the last two years because you cannot settle in one place as you get 'bored' so easily. You tell me that my daughter is settled in her school? I know for a fact that she hates it. She has moved schools so many times that she has not felt able to make proper friends...you are a selfish, flighty woman Renee and I will not allow you to put my little girl through that again. She wants to stay here and that is what will happen." Charlie sat back and crossed his arms.

Renee appeared completely stunned by his verbal attack. Her mouth opened and then closed again as she tried to think of a good riposte, but she could not dispute one word of what he had said.

"Have you nothing to say?" Charlie raised one eyebrow as he watched her reaction.

Renee straightened her shoulders and stood up. "There is nothing more to say. I want Bella to come back here now. While you go and get her I will pack her things. The flight leaves in three hours and I plan to be on it."

"You can plan all you want Renee. If you want to catch that flight, go ahead. You will not be taking Bella with you, she stays here." Charlie said firmly.

"Why are you doing this? You have never made any noise about the way I have brought up our daughter before, why now? I let her visit..."

"When it suits you...several times I have arranged visits and you cancel at the last minute because it does not fit in with your plans."

"Look, I will try and make sure I stick to a more regular visitation schedule. I can't be fairer than that." Renee smiled at Charlie wanly, trying to placate him.

"I don't think you are hearing me Renee...Bella is not going back with you, she is staying here. " Charlie said through gritted teeth.

"You will regret this Charlie Swan...I am going to consult a lawyer." Renee shot back at him.

"Good luck with that sweetheart...you don't earn enough to pay for one and I am certainly not increasing my alimony so you can. Looks like we are at a stalemate, doesn't it?" Charlie replied grimly.

XXXXXX

Billy returned from work feeling very tired. He had been worrying about the situation with Charlie and Bella all day. Thoughts of the promise he had made Jake ran through his mind and he fretted that Renee would be able to work her wiles on his old friend as she always did and he would give in. Billy hung up his jacket on the hook by the front door. As he walked into the living room, he was surprised to see Charlie sitting at the kitchen table with Sarah. He glanced over at the sofa and saw Jake and Bella fast asleep, Bella's head was resting on Jacob's shoulder. A lump came up in Billy's throat at the sight of them.

"Hey Billy..." Charlie said, his voice sounding raw.

Billy's heart plummeted at the tone of his voice and the look of defeat in his eyes. "I take it did not go well then?"

Charlie rubbed his eyes with his hand and sighed. "Renee has left to go and stay in a hotel in Port Angeles. I made it clear to her that Bella will be staying here. She was planning on taking Bella back with her on the next flight back out to Phoenix...but I managed to persuade her otherwise."

Sarah patted Charlie's hand in sympathy."She will come around Charlie, she has to."

Billy joined them at the table. "Do you think she will, old man?"

Charlie glanced behind him at his daughter, sleeping peacefully next to Jacob. He then turned his gaze back to his friends. "To be honest I think it is up to Bella now. Renee has agreed to at least hear what our daughter has to say. I just hope that for once in her life she actually listens..."

Billy exchanged a worried look with his wife. They both knew Renee very well and already had a bad feeling she was only trying to placate Charlie before she managed to whisk Bella away while his back was turned. Once she had Bella back home in Phoenix it would be almost impossible for Charlie to gain access to her.

"Well I better be getting Bells home. It's getting late." Charlie began to get up from the table.

Sarah started to panic. "Why don't you stay here tonight Charlie? It's late and Bella is already asleep. I can make up a bed for you on the sofa and Bella can sleep in the twin's room for the night."She suggested quickly.

"I don't know. I think I should just go on home..." Charlie wavered.

"Come on Chief...you need a good rest before you have to face Renee again, just stay?" Billy interjected quickly.

Charlie gave in and nodded causing Sarah to break out into a relieved smile. She wanted to keep Bella in La Push, just in case Renee tried to take her daughter away during the night. She knew she was overreacting, but it put her mind at ease that Bella and Charlie would be staying in the house. It would also stop Jake disappearing in the middle of the night too. They didn't need any more drama while they were trying to deal with Renee.

"I'll make up a bed for Bella..." Sarah left the table and went off in search of some bedding.

Charlie got up from the table too and went over to his small daughter. He hunkered down next to the sofa and gently stroked her hair away from her face. "It's up to you now kiddo...I need you to convince your mom you want to stay..." he murmured.

Bella shifted around in her sleep and nestled closer to Jacob's side. Charlie gave a small sigh and went back to join Billy in the kitchen...

_**A/N-Thanks for reading! **_


	9. Chapter 9

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews for the last chapter, I have read and cherished them all. Sorry I have not been able to reply personally this time as I have been extra busy this weekend. I hope you enjoy this next chapter, it is rather sad in some parts, but I hope you like the end! Nikki :)**_

**Part Nine**

Bella sat at the table opposite both her parents. Her head swivelled from side to side as she watched them both. Her mom was frowning and occasionally glaring at her dad. Tension was rife in the air and Bella knew that she was the cause of it. Biting her lip with trepidation Bella felt her hand begin to tremble with nerves.

"Am I in trouble?" She asked, her voice was so soft that both adults had to strain to hear her.

"No kiddo, of course not. We just want talk things over with you." Charlie rushed to reassure her.

Renee shot her ex husband another dirty look. "Oh stop blustering Charlie. She is seven now and able to understand the importance of all this. Bella your father seems to be under the impression you want to live here. Now I just need you to tell him the truth so that we can both go home."

Bella looked like a deer frozen as the headlights of a car shone in her eyes to squash her flat. Her hands began to shake and she hid them under the table so her mom would not see. She tried to form words but they seemed stuck in her throat. Renee snorted impatiently.

"For goodness sake Bella what is wrong with you? Just tell your dad so we can clear out of this backwater." She fumed.

"Will you just shut up and let our daughter speak?" Charlie's anger was beginning to surface as he saw the distressed look on Bella's face.

Renee stood up and shoved her chair back. "This is ridiculous. Bella get your stuff, we are going home."

Charlie stood and pointed a finger at Renee. "Sit back down you selfish woman. We are supposed to be asking Bells what she wants. This is not about you."

Bella felt her breathing become erratic as she watched her parents face off against each other. She knew it was all her fault. If she had behaved better than they both would not be fighting. Putting her hands over her ears to stop the noise of her parent's shouting, Bella slipped away from the table and ran out of the room and up the stairs, tears coursing down her face. When she reached her room, she crawled onto her bed and curled up in a foetal position, closing her eyes. Everything went black...

XXXXXX

Jacob was sitting at the table, shovelling his breakfast in his mouth. Rachel and Rebecca were looking at their little brother in disgust as he ate his food rapidly.

"Eww you are disgusting Jake...you should be in a zoo with all the animals." Rebecca said nastily.

"Yeah..." Rachel agreed with her twin like always.

Jacob was not at all bothered by his sister's offensive remarks. He stuck his tongue out at them both and they glared back at him. However they did not realise that Sarah had heard their comments. She cuffed them both round the back of the head and they looked at her in shock.

"Do not talk to your brother in that way again. How many times have I told you two to behave? What will it take before you show me that you have some goodness in you?" Sarah shouted at them.

The twins exchanged forlorn glances and put on their best contrite expression. "We're sorry mom." Rachel was the first to apologise.

Sarah turned her fierce gaze onto her other daughter. Rebecca was always the ringleader when it came to causing trouble. It took another moment before she finally caved in and apologised too. "Sorry."

"Go to your room, both of you." Sarah yelled at the twins. She was feeling on edge, worried about Bella and Charlie.

"I said sorry." Rebecca said mutinously. Her mother glared daggers at her and she caved in and dragged Rachel after her, back to their room.

Sarah watched them go and sighed. She knelt down next to her son and stroked his hair away from his face. "Are you alright sweetie?"

Jacob seemed far away. His eyes were unfocused and he seemed frozen in place. Sarah examined him carefully."Jake are you alright? Talk to me..."

A small tear suddenly coursed down Jacob's face and he turned toward his mom, an intense look of sadness was pouring from his dark eyes. Sarah gasped as she watched his eyes roll in the back of his head and he fainted away. She just managed to catch him before he fell.

"Billy..." She screamed as Jacob's body began to jerk violently in her arms.

XXXXXX

Charlie and Renee finally became aware that Bella was missing.

"Where is she?" Renee yelled at Charlie.

Charlie glanced around and could see no sign of his little girl. He left the room and raced up the stairs, sprinting two at a time. He shoved her door open and his heart dropped as he saw Bella curled up in a ball. Her sobs were loud and he could see that her small body was trembling.

"Bells...oh Bells. I am so sorry." Charlie gathered Bella into his arms and rocked her gently back and forth as she continued to cry.

"I'm sorry daddy. I didn't mean to cause trouble." Bella whispered. "I just wanna stay here with you and Jake."

Renee had reached the top of the stairs. Bella's confession hit her like a sucker punch to the gut. She actually staggered back as it finally sank in that Charlie had not been using Bella as a weapon against her. Her daughter did actually want to live in Forks. She heard Charlie whisper soothing words of comfort to their daughter and Bella's crying lessened. Renee felt tears begin to run down her own cheeks as she retraced her steps down the stairs.

Renee hunted around for some paper and a pen. She rummaged around one of the kitchen drawers and found what she was looking for. She scribbled a quick note to both Bella and Charlie. One of her tears dropped on the paper, smearing the ink. When she had finished writing, Renee folded the note in half and placed it prominently on the kitchen table. Creeping quietly over to the front door, she grabbed hold of her small suitcase and with one last glance, left the Swan house and her daughter behind.

XXXXXX

After a frantic ten minutes in which they were trying to revive their son. Billy and Sarah were relieved to see his eyes flutter open. "Mommy Bells needs me..."

Billy and Sarah exchanged puzzled glances. "What do you mean sweetheart?"

Jacob struggled to sit up and he pushed his mother's hands away from his face. "Bells is upset...got to go and see her now."

Billy looked at his son curiously. "How do you know son?"

Jacob pouted and looked at his parents as if they were really stupid. "I saw Bells, she was crying. She needs me. I wanna see Bells."

Billy glanced at his wife. "What do you think we should do?" He whispered to her.

"If Jake wants to see Bella then that's where we will take him. I am afraid of what will happen if we don't. I need to know the outcome of what Renee and Charlie have decided." Sarah stated adamantly.

Billy nodded his agreement. "Hey Jake, why don't you go and get your coat? I will take you over to see Bella."

A sunny grin crossed Jacob's face and he nodded eagerly at his dad. He raced for the hall and grabbed his coat, pulling it on quickly. His parents watched him and they once again exchanged worried looks.

"Their connection is stronger even then I anticipated." Billy admitted to his wife.

"I know...Billy what if Renee takes's Bella away?" Sarah clutched onto her husband's arm desperately.

"We can't think like that honey. Look let me go and see what is happening? I will call you okay." Billy pulled Sarah into his arms and gently pressed his lips to hers. Sarah sighed and rested against him briefly.

"I love you Billy..." She pressed her cheek to his beating heart.

"I love you too Sarah..." Billy pressed another soft kiss to the top of her head and then gently released her.

XXXXXX

Billy knocked gently on the front door of the Swan house. Jacob was pushing on the door in his eagerness to see Bella. He pouted when it wouldn't open. Billy smiled at his son's impatience. "Easy Jake, you have to wait for the Chief to answer."

Jacob's bottom lip poked out and he just stared at the door, tapping his foot in irritation. After what seemed like an age footsteps were heard and Charlie finally answered the door. Jacob darted inside and up the stairs as soon as the door opened, making Charlie jump.

Billy grinned at his old friend sheepishly. "Are you alright Chief?"

Charlie grimaced and gestured for Billy to enter. "Renee's gone..."

Billy halted and stared at his friend in shock. "Has she..."

"No Bells is still here with me, don't worry. Come in Billy and I will show you her note."

XXXXXX

_**Charlie/Bella,**_

_**I cannot do it. I saw you both together and I suddenly realised that Bella belongs here with you. I have been a selfish woman, you are right, but I love my little girl. I love her enough to let her go when I know that she needs something more than I can offer her. **_

_**I will be in touch Charlie...until then take care of our baby.**_

_**Tell her I love her.**_

_**Renee **_

Billy scanned the contents of the note one last time and handed it back to his friend.

"Are you okay?" He enquired, trying to read Charlie's expression.

"I don't know Billy...I never expected her to give in so easily. I have so much to sort out, school, childcare when I am working..." Charlie seemed dazed and overwhelmed.

"Charlie you have support don't forget. Sarah and I will help out with childcare. Then there is Harry and Sue...you are not on your own." Billy said reassuringly.

Charlie tried to keep his emotions under tight control as he heard Bella and Jake coming down the stairs. He gave his daughter a small smile. "Alright there, kiddo?"

"Yeah daddy, I was just showing Jake some of my stuff...I mean this is my home now right?" Bella looked up at him pleadingly for confirmation.

Charlie knelt down in front of his small daughter and placed his hand on her thin shoulder. "Yes Bella this is and always has been your home."

He was rewarded with a big smile as Bella gave him an uncustomary hug. Jacob beamed as he felt Bella's happiness radiate through him and he flung his arms around Charlie too. "Thanks Chief." He mumbled, copying his dad's nickname for Charlie.

Billy laughed at his son's words and over the two youngster's shoulder's Charlie smiled up at his old friend.

A/N-Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-Thank you to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter, I have enjoyed reading them all, they have really kept me motivated! **_

**Part Ten**

Embry Call watched from a distance as Jacob, Bella and Leah ran about the yard, laughing. They were having a mud fight. Bella was getting the worst if it as she was not as fast as the other two. Her hair was coated in earth and she had dirty streaks running down her pale cheeks. Little Seth Clearwater was trying to join in. He toddled after his big sister Leah and gurgled when she deigned to take notice of him.

"Lee Lee, frow mud..." Seth bent down and picked up a clod of earth. As his sister turned at the sound of his voice, Seth threw it in her direction and it hit her square in the eye. Embry smiled to himself as Leah began to yell loudly.

Bella was immediately by her side and she helped the older girl to get the dirt out of her eye. Embry could see Jake grinning, obviously amused by the whole thing. Little Seth however was beginning to cry as he heard Leah cursing in anger.

"Embry what are you doing?" Kay Call's voice interrupted his observations.

"Nothing mom, just watching..." Embry hung his head and shoved his hands in the pockets of his worn jeans.

"That's all you ever do isn't it? Why don't you join in?" Kay sneered at her small son.

Embry scuffed his sneaker along the ground. The sole was flapping on one of them as it was worn down to nothing. "Nobody asked me..." Embry mumbled sadly.

Kay shook her head irritably. She was dying for a drink, it had been a long morning and she was eager to get off to meet her latest boyfriend. Sarah Black had offered to keep an eye on Embry while she went out. "Sometimes I wonder if you are mine you know...you are so damn shy and quiet." She said nastily.

Embry looked up at his mother from under his long lashes. Her words made his heart hurt. "Maybe I take after my daddy. Who is he mom?" He asked cautiously.

Kay snorted and glared down at him. "I told you never to talk about him. Look I have got to go...see you later." She snapped.

Embry flinched at his mother's tone and once again hung his head, his long hair hiding his face. Kay turned on her heel and left him, not once looking back. Jacob's sensitive hearing had caught the whole conversation between Embry and his mother; he felt sympathy for the other boy. Embry was usually too shy to join in any of the games that Jacob and Quil thought up and often got ignored.

Leah was whinging about her eye stinging and Seth was still wailing. Bella was occupied with them both, trying to calm the situation down. While she was busy, Jacob approached Embry cautiously. "Are you alright Em?"

"Yeah..." Embry looked up in surprise. It was rare that Jake ever took much notice of him.

"Do you wanna play?" Jacob asked the other boy, not really knowing what else to say.

Embry gave a small shrug. "Okay...what shall we do?"

Jacob thought carefully. He wasn't sure what to suggest. He was already glancing behind him to Bella, making sure she was nearby and not too far away. He felt relief when he saw she was still trying to placate Leah.

"We could have another mud fight. Me and you and Bells and Leah..." Jacob offered eventually.

A small smile played about Embry's lips as he nodded his agreement.

XXXXXX

Sarah rolled her eyes and exchanged an exasperated glance with Sue as she saw five mud covered children entering the house, trailing dirt behind them. Jacob grinned up at his mom and she couldn't help but smile back at him. Ever since Bella had come to live permanently with Charlie, she had seen how much both Jake and Bella had blossomed. Billy and Sarah had managed to curtail 'Wolfie's' late night visits to the Swan house by letting Jake and Bella talk on the phone every evening and say goodnight before bed.

Every day it was becoming increasingly obvious how deep the connection between the two of them ran. When they were parted, if Bella was upset, Jake always seemed to know and would beg his mom or dad to take him to see her. It worked both ways, only the day before the twin's had been particularly rude to Jacob and he had become very upset. He was in tears and Sarah was panicking that he could phase at any second. Literally a minute after it happened, the phone rang and Charlie was on the other end, asking if Bella could talk to Jacob. The sound of her voice soothed Jacob and he calmed down straight away.

"Mom we're hungry..." Jacob's voice brought Sarah out of her musings.

"You're always hungry." She said automatically as she went to the kitchen and began to rummage through the cupboards for some food. She heard Sue Clearwater scolding her daughter Leah for getting so dirty. The two of them sounded so alike it was uncanny.

"May I have a glass of water please Mrs Black?"

Sarah was startled as she heard Embry speak. She gazed down at the young boy and her heart melted. He was such a polite, shy little boy. Kay Call did not deserve him. Sarah only put up with the woman because she worried about Embry's welfare and would often look after him while Kay went off on one of her so called 'dates.'

"Call me Sarah Embry, remember..."She chided him gently.

"Sorry Mrs...Sarah..."

"That's better sweetie. Are you having fun today?"

"Yeah...Jake said I could be his friend..." Embry informed her shyly.

"That's great. I'll get you that water..." Sarah had to turn her back on him as a tear ran down her cheek. The sheer wonder in Embry's voice that someone wanted to be his friend was heartbreaking. She was happy that her son had made the effort to include Embry.

XXXXXX

Rachel and Rebecca were bored. They were sick of being surrounded by babies. Jacob and his crew were beyond irritating. Their pathetic games and annoying laughter was grating on their nerves. The girl's stood round the corner of the house and spied on the other's as they played chase. Leah was holding her little brother and swinging him around in a circle making him giggle. Jacob, Bella and Embry were huddled together in a group, trying to think up another game to play.

Rebecca's eyes narrowed as she watched them having fun. After another minute passed she turned to her twin and gave her a smug smile. "I think we should show these babies who is in charge Rach."

Rachel frowned at her sister's words. "What do you mean Beck?"

Rebecca glared at her sister. "You can be so dense sometimes Rach. Look I am sick of being told off by mom because of Jake and his stupid little friends. I am going to teach them all a lesson."

Rachel stared at her sister, stung by her mean words. "No...I want no part of this. I'm getting tired of your insults. Just leave them alone Beck."

"You are such a wimp Rach. I don't need you anyway." Rebecca sneered at her twin.

Rachel felt like the invisible cord that tied her to her twin was beginning to snap. She backed away from her and shook her head defiantly. "Do what you want Beck...I want no part of it."

Rebecca stamped her foot as she watched Rachel turn her back on her and disappear into the back of the house. "I don't need you anyway." She muttered to herself.

XXXXXX

Embry was sitting on the edge of the group watching the others build a fort. Leah was bossing everyone around and barking commands. Seth was following behind her like he always did, copying her words.

"Hey you..." A voice behind him made Embry jump.

"Hey I'm talking to you..."

Embry turned and was confronted by Rebecca Black. He stared at her briefly as she gestured for him to break away from the others and come over to her. He reluctantly got up and walked over to her.

"Yeah...what do you want?" Embry asked curiously.

Rebecca gave him a sly smile. "Follow me. I want to show you something."

"Okay..." Embry said uncertainly. He trailed after Rebecca as she led him over to the garage. She shoved the door open and waved him inside. Embry did as she wanted and waited for her to join him.

Rebecca smirked at Embry as she looked at his confused expression. It was dark inside the garage and she knew that he was scared of the dark. She had overheard Kay complaining to her mom that Embry Call always had to sleep with the hall light on. Giving him one last triumphant glance, Rebecca quickly slammed the garage door shut and locked the padlock securely. She laughed as she heard Embry yelling from inside and she ran toward her house ignoring his cries.

XXXXXX

Embry banged on the door of the locked garage desperately. It was totally dark inside and he felt panic welling up in him. "Let me out. I want to get out now."

There was no response to his calls and he became more frightened as he pushed hard on the doors. Images flashed through his mind of all the times his mom had left him alone at night as she slipped out to get more drink or meet up with one of her boyfriends. Tears began to leak out of his eyes and his body began to tremble and shake. Heat surged through his body as adrenaline pumped through his veins, induced by his fear.

Embry felt faint and he called out one last time before his world exploded around him.

XXXXXX

Bella watched Jake in alarm as his head shot up and he became rigid. She ran over to his side and caught hold of his hand. "What's wrong Jake?" She whispered.

He clutched her hand tightly and stared into her chocolate brown eyes. "Embry..."

Bella could feel his confused emotions communicating themselves to her. "What about Embry?"

Jacob glanced around and made sure that Leah was occupied. She was still entertaining her little brother and did not notice Jacob and Bella slip away. Jake led Bella toward the garage; his enhanced hearing had picked up on the unusual sounds emanating from there. Some sixth sense was telling Jacob that Embry was within.

Reaching up Jacob twisted the key in the padlock and with Bella's help he shoved open the heavy door. Daylight flooded the interior of the garage and revealed what was hidden inside. A small grey wolf, with white patches around his eyes sat hunched down on the cold floor. Jacob and Bella exchanged alarmed glances as they saw Embry Call's eyes staring fearfully back at them...

_**A/N-Well there is one more chapter of young Jake and Bells after this and then the story will be moving forward a few years. Thanks for reading...Nikki **_


	11. Chapter 11

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-Wow thank you all so much. I have been totally amazed at all the wonderful reviews I have received for this story. I have read and loved each one and have not stopped smiling all morning, LOL. As a big thank you to everyone I am posting this next chapter early. I will be going away for a couple of days for a short holiday so I will not be able to update again until the weekend. :)_

_Before I begin the next chapter I would like to answer a few questions that some of you have raised in your reviews. I will be dividing this story into three parts. Part One has been dealing with the young Jake and Bella and setting up the back story for the characters. This is the last chapter in part one. Part Two will be dealing with Jake and Bella as they grow up. The story will have moved on a few years and we will get to see them, their family and friends as teenagers. Lastly Part Three will obviously move forward again as the characters grow and progress. As the story progresses some of the other characters we all know and love will begin to make an appearance. _

_I really hope this helps! Sorry about the long winded author's note but I know a lot of readers wanted to know if this story would cover Jake and Bella growing up etc. _

_Anyways back to the story..._

**Part Eleven**

Sarah was sitting relaxing with Sue Clearwater when Bella burst through the front door of the house, startling both women. She stumbled her way over to Jacob's mom and grabbed her hand.

"Bella what on earth is wrong?" Sarah asked in alarm.

Taking deep breaths, Bella tried to force air into her lungs so that she could regain the ability to talk. "Embry..." She finally gasped out.

"Has something happened to Embry, Bella?" Sarah knelt down and took hold of the young girl by the arms.

"Yes...he...you need to come." Bella was beginning to panic. Images of a frightened Embry Call crouched down on the cold floor of the garage whirled in her mind.

"Is he hurt child?" Sue Clearwater barked at Bella. She was so much like Leah in the way she spoke and acted.

Sarah glared up at her friend, annoyed by her blunt tone. "Hush Bella it's okay. I will come now. Sue, stay here and make sure the other children are safe."

Sue rolled her eyes at Sarah. "I think I will be better qualified to deal with an emergency Sarah. I am a nurse..."

"Yes and don't you always love reminding us about that fact. Just do as I ask woman." Sarah yelled back at her. Sue's eyes opened wide in shock. It was very rare for the genteel Sarah Black to raise her voice.

"Alright calm down. If you need my help, yell." Sue huffed. She turned on her heel and walked out of the front door, calling out for Leah and Seth.

Sarah sighed and turned her attention back to a visibly shaken Bella. "Sweetie what has happened to Embry?"

Bella gazed into Jacob's moms kind eyes. "He turned into a wolf..." She whispered.

Sarah's mouth opened in shock at her words.

XXXXXX

Chaos reigned in Jake's mind. After Bella had run off to get his mom, he had undressed quickly and phased into his wolf form. It was the first time that he had ever experienced the mind link between pack members. As he had been the only one to phase he had no knowledge that wolves could communicate together in this way. Embry was panic stricken and he was making Jacob's head spin as he unwittingly projected all his fear and anxiety onto his friend.

Jacob whimpered in pain as he tried to clear his mind and focus. Embry had risen to his feet and was now beginning to pace back and forth, watching Jacob through his new wolf eyes. "Stop shouting in my head." Jacob commanded through the shared mind link.

Embry's thoughts immediately ceased and he dropped onto his belly in a submissive pose, ears flat to his head. Jacob's large wolf eyes widened as he realised what had happened. He had told Embry what to do and he had followed his request at once.

Jacob trotted over to the other wolf and sniffed him all over, trying to get used to the new scent. The fact that he was no longer the only kid in this predicament made his spirits rise. Besides Bella, he now had another young person to share his secret with. He tested the mind link again and spoke to Embry.

"Please stand up Em...it's alright. You are alright. We are spirit wolves. You are like me now. We are pack brothers..."

Embry's ears perked up and he slowly rose to his legs. He kept his eyes averted from Jake's though. Some internal instinct told him that Jacob was in charge and he had felt the power emanating from the other wolf. Through their thoughts, Jacob began to slowly explain to Embry what had happened to him. In the end he projected a memory; it was of Billy and himself. His dad was gently explaining to a frightened Jake exactly what he was and what it meant.

Embry listened and took it all in. He felt calmer and more in control of his emotions. A small part of him felt happy. Jacob had called him a brother. Embry had always felt alone his whole life and now he had a pack brother...he belonged somewhere at last.

XXXXXX

Sarah and Bella approached the garage cautiously. Sarah had brought some extra clothes of Jacob's with her as she knew that either he or Embry would need them. Bella strolled ahead of Jacob's mom, not afraid in the slightest. She was used to being around her Wolfie and was not worried about the new addition to the pack. Sarah was more wary and she yanked Bella back behind her.

"We need to be careful sweetie. Embry is probably very frightened and we don't want to alarm him." She advised.

Bella sighed in irritation but allowed Sarah to lead the way. Gently opening the door Sarah stared into the dark interior of the garage. It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the change. However she was taken by surprise when Wolfie appeared out of the gloom followed by another smaller grey wolf with white patches. Wolfie immediately went over to Bella and began to give her his usual greeting. He licked her face and his tail began to wag back and forth. Giggling happily Bella flung her arms around Wolfie's neck and hugged him tight.

Sarah stood and watched Bella interacting with her son in his wolf form. She could see the close bond the two of them shared. Her gaze then rested on the other small wolf. Its eyes were trained on Bella too and he seemed totally oblivious to her presence. As soon as Bella stepped away from Wolfie, the small grey wolf began to wag its tail and trotted over to her. He proceeded to lick Bella all over her face enthusiastically in greeting, copying Jacob.

Bella backed away from this vigorous greeting and pushed the gray wolf's muzzle away. A snarl from behind made the gray wolf turn. Wolfie was standing behind him, hackles raised all along his back and showing his teeth.

"Get away from Bells..." The command made the small gray wolf fall to the ground and he whimpered.

Sarah had no idea what was happening between her son and Embry but he was obviously upset over something. "Stop this, both of you. We need to get you inside away from prying eyes. Jacob phase back you need to do the same, if you can."

Wolfie gave one last growl at the other wolf and did as his mom asked. His outline blurred and within a minute he was back in his human form. Bella had turned her back on him. She was used to the routine by now. Jacob's mom chucked some spare clothes at him and he yanked them on quickly.

Jacob glared at the small gray wolf which was still cowered on the floor. The feeling of jealousy and anger was fading as he watched Embry. Seeing the other wolf near his Bells had provoked him, but he dampened those feelings down.

"You need to do as my mom says Embry. Picture yourself as a boy in your mind and it will happen." Jacob's voice sounded so much older than his years and Bella and his mom gazed at him in wonder.

Embry did as Jacob requested and after a tense ten minutes, he managed to phase back to his human form. Sarah knelt next to the trembling boy and handed him some of Jake's clothes. "It's alright sweetie...you are going to be alright." She whispered soothingly, stroking his tangled hair away from his face.

Embry looked up at her kind expression and finally felt able to breathe.

XXXXXX

Billy had come straight home after his wife's frantic phone call. He was still trying to take in the news that young Embry Call had also phased into a spirit wolf. He felt like his head was bursting with all of the responsibility that was being piled on him and his family. Sarah was off dealing with Rebecca, it had not taken long before her part in Embry's situation had been revealed. The disappointment and anger that both Billy and wife had felt at their daughter's deviousness overwhelmed them. Rebecca had a very cruel streak in her; thankfully Rachel seemed to have come to her senses and was no longer willing to be led by her twin.

Billy watched his son with Bella and Embry. Jacob was sticking close to Bella's side and making sure that Embry was not getting too close to her. There was no denying the obvious connection that his son and Bella now shared. Billy sensed trouble ahead; Jacob was going to need to learn restraint where Bella was concerned. He needed to control his jealousy and over protectiveness toward her. As they both grew Bella was going to make different friends, both male and female.

A slamming door indicated Sarah's return; she was dragging a protesting Rebecca along by the arm. "Apologise to Embry right now..."

"I didn't do anything." Rebecca said mutinously.

"Don't test my patience Rebecca Black? Do as your mother says." Billy roared.

The room fell silent as Billy glared fiercely down at his daughter. He had never raised his voice like that to any of the children before and the shock of it made them all mute. Eventually Rebecca shuffled over to Embry. "I'm sorry..." She mumbled.

Embry was not one to hold a grudge. He nodded once and went to stand near Bella, who smiled encouragingly at him. Jacob shot Embry an irritated glance as he stepped closer to Bella and grabbed her hand.

"You are grounded for a month Becca. You will help out by doing more chores and when you are not doing them, I want you studying. No playtime for you, young lady." Sarah said sternly.

"Where's Rach?" Rebecca asked sullenly, scanning the room for her twin.

Rachel emerged from their shared room when she heard Rebecca call her name."What do you want?"

"Tell mom and dad it wasn't just me. Tell them that you were part of it?" Rebecca demanded.

Rachel shook her head no. "It was all you Beck, take responsibility for once."

"You're supposed to be my twin." Rebecca screeched at her.

Rachel did not even flinch at her sister's raised voice. "Not anymore Beck. I want nothing to do with you."

Rachel's words hurt Rebecca far more than her parent's punishment ever could. Her mouth fell open in shock as she watched her sister turn her back and walk away. Finally the full import of her cruel actions crashed down on her and she began to cry.

XXXXXX

After a long discussion between Billy, Sarah, Old Quil and Harry Clearwater, it was decided that Embry Call stay with the Black family in the short term. Kay did not put up much of a protest, she was glad to be free of the burden of caring for her son for a while and although she had no idea why Billy and Sarah suddenly wanted her son to stay with them, she did not question it.

Over the next week, Billy and Jacob helped Embry acclimatise to his new situation. The boy blossomed under their care and attention and Sarah was heartened to see that Embry was able to overcome his shy nature and blend in well with her family. The only one who kept her distance was Rebecca, but that was probably for the best.

So for the moment, another disaster had been averted and the Black family began to relax into a new routine. With Bella and Charlie almost a constant presence in the house too, everything was calm and ordered. It would be another few years before disaster found them again...

_A/N-Well this is the end of the first part. The story will have moved on a few years starting from the next chapter...Thank you so much for reading. Nikki :)_


	12. Chapter 12

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part One**

_**Six years later...**_

Thirteen year old Bella Swan was sitting at her desk in school. She was furiously writing, copying notes from the board. Her long, chestnut brown hair fanned around her so she did not notice Mike Newton's obvious staring as he gazed at her in adoration. Bella was trying to hurry and finish her notes so that she would be ready to leave the class immediately. She was meeting up with Jacob, Embry, Quil and Leah after school. It annoyed her immensely that she had to go to school in Forks and not the tribal school in La Push, but as she was not Quileute, this was not a possibility.

Smiling in satisfaction, Bella put the lid back on her pen and folded her notes carefully. She stuffed them in her school bag and waited impatiently for the school bell to indicate the end of class.

"What are you doing after school today Bella? A few of the guys and I are heading over to the diner? Want to join us?" Mike Newton's voice interrupted Bella's reverie.

"Can't Mike, I'm busy..." Bella responded automatically. She did not even turn to face him as she replied.

"You always say that..." Mike whined. "Are you hanging around with those res kids again?"

Bella frowned at his tone of voice and this time she did turn his way. "What do you mean by that?" She snapped.

"Nothing...it's just that they are all so much younger and all boys..." Mike said mulishly.

"Leah is a girl and a year older than me. Any way Jake and his friends look way older. They are taller than you and you're supposed to be thirteen." Bella shot back at him.

"No need to get defensive Bella, I was just saying..." Mike's voice was drowned out as the school bell rang at last. Bella grabbed her bag and ran out of the classroom, not looking back.

Charlie was waiting for her in the police cruiser. He smiled as he watched her sprinting across the school parking lot. He winced when he saw her stumble and fall to the ground. Bella had a habit of being rather clumsy, she sometimes managed to trip over the smallest things, but luckily she always had someone to save her from the fall. Today her knight in shining armour was Tyler Crowley. Charlie had just been about to get out of his car and assist her but the other boy beat him to it. He watched in amusement as the young boy helped her up and repacked her bag. Bella smiled at him gratefully and continued on with her journey toward the police cruiser. Charlie was the only one who saw the boy staring after her, a goofy smile on his face. That was another thing about his daughter, other people just gravitated toward her and she had no clue.

Bella finally reached the car and yanked the door open. She chucked her bag in the back and slid in easily. "Hey dad, how was work?"

"Rather quiet kiddo. How was school?" Charlie switched on the engine and began to pull out of the parking bay.

"Boring as usual, dad can you arrest someone for being annoying?"

Charlie laughed at her question. "Mike been bothering you again, kiddo?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Oh yes...his new technique is to follow me around school all day opening every door. In the canteen he actually took my tray and insisted he carry it in case I trip. I am not that bad..."

Charlie glanced quickly at his daughter's mutinous expression and reached over to ruffle her hair. "Bells do you want me to have a word with him?"

"Nah...I can handle Mike Newton. If not I am sure Wolfie can..." A wicked grin crossed her face as she thought of her canine friend.

At this comment father and daughter burst out laughing and they drove the rest of the way to La Push in a happy mood.

XXXXXX

Kay Call was waiting outside the local shop where Sarah Black had a part time job. Now all the children were older she had applied to work at the store, owned by Quil Ateara's family. She only did a few shifts a week but the money helped keep food on the table. As soon as Sarah emerged Kay weaved her way over to her and began to yell. It was only early afternoon and she was already roaring drunk.

"Hey you...hey, don't ignore me high and mighty Sarah Black..." Kay slurred.

"I will ignore you Kay. Go home and sleep it off." Sarah replied irritably.

"No...I wanna word with you...C'mere." Kay stumbled forward and grabbed hold of Sarah's arm.

Sarah turned and glared at the other woman. "What do you want?" She demanded.

Kay wobbled slightly in her high heels. She poked Sarah in the chest. "You are takin' my Embry away from me. You an your stuck up family. He is never at home anymore."

"Why is that Kay, huh? You are so lickered up all the time, what is there for the boy to come home to? Like I said go home and sleep it off. I need to get to the car." Sarah began to back away from Kay. The other woman staggered forward again and then suddenly bent double as she was sick all down her front.

"I don't believe this?" Sarah cursed. She was tired and just wanted to go home, however she could not leave the woman alone in this state. Sighing heavily she hauled Kay to her feet and began to lead her toward the old car that she drove locally.

"I feel ill..." Kay moaned as Sarah shoved her in the passenger seat and walked swiftly around the other side.

"No more than you deserve." Sarah snapped, she started the car and began to drive away.

The two women were silent as Sarah watched the road ahead. After another few minutes passed Kay seemed to revive a little. She sat straighter in her seat and pushed her greasy hair out of her eyes. "Where are you takin me?"

"Home... I already told you."

"No, I wanna go and see my son." Kay began to undo her seatbelt.

"Don't be stupid Kay. Embry is not out of school just yet, I will take you home to sober up first." Sarah tried to get Kay to put her seatbelt back on.

"Get off me..." Kay yelled. She began to try and open the passenger door.

Sarah started to panic. She became distracted as she tried to pull Kay back into the car. That was all it took, the car swerved to one side as Kay fought back, still trying to get out of the moving vehicle. Sarah finally turned her attention back to the road, but it was too late. The car had moved off of the road and onto the verge. The tree was right in front of her before she had time to react. The front end of the car collided heavily with the wide trunk of the tree, crushing the bonnet. Sarah's head hit the steering wheel and everything went black...

XXXXXX

The call came over the police cruiser's radio as Charlie was just approaching the Black's little red house. Jacob and his friends, including Leah, were waiting outside. Their school finished earlier then Bella's, so they all met at Jacob's house and waited for her to join them. Charlie parked the car carefully and watched as Jake broke away from the group and sprinted over to Bella. Before her hand was on the door handle he was yanking the passenger door open and grabbing hold of her hand. Bella giggled as Jacob wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up into a bear hug. She had not been exaggerating to Mike when she had told him how tall Jacob and his friends were for their ages. Billy had said it must be the wolf gene, giving them rapid growth spurts. Quil was the only one among them who was a lot shorter.

While Jake and Bella were distracted by each other, Charlie listened to the news coming from his police radio. He picked it up and spoke rapidly to his deputy. He closed his eyes and swallowed down the bile in his throat. He had just been informed that Sarah Black and Kay Call had been in a car accident. Kay was pronounced dead at the scene, but Sarah was being taken to Fork's hospital. Her injuries were severe and she was unconscious, but she was still alive.

XXXXXX

Billy burst through the hospital doors and stared around wildly. He ran over to the nurse's station, startling the receptionist on duty. "Where is she? I need to see my wife?" He demanded in a shaky voice.

"Please sir calm down." The receptionist said softly. "What is your wife's name?"

"Sarah...Sarah Black...she was brought in here after a car wreck. Please tell me where she is?" Billy begged. He leaned against the desk as his legs gave way.

The receptionist looked at him with sympathy. "I know who you mean now. She has been taken to the ICU. Let me get someone to talk to you."

Billy nodded and slumped against the desk as he watched her departure. A minute later Charlie and Harry Clearwater entered the hospital. The children had been left with Sue, Harry's wife. The two men stood on either side of Billy, offering him silent support. He had never been so grateful in his life to have such good friends.

XXXXXX

Five hours later and Billy was sitting at his wife's bedside holding onto her hand tightly. She was hooked up to several different machines. The loudest was the heart monitor as it beeped, measuring every beat of her heart. The doctors had informed Billy that Sarah had been lucky that she was wearing her seatbelt. She had suffered severe head trauma and internal bleeding, but thankfully the skilful work of the surgeons had managed to stem the bleed. She was now stable and they hoped that she would soon wake up on her own.

Another two hours passed. Charlie and then Harry kept Billy company. Sarah did not move. The only signs of life were the small rise and fall of her chest and the constant beep of the monitor. It was at this point that Billy broke down. Harry saw his shoulders shaking as silent tears wracked his body. Putting his hand on Billy's shoulder, Harry tried to comfort his friend.

"I can't live without her...I just can't Harry..." Billy gasped as his grief and fear overwhelmed him.

It was at this point that Sarah Black opened her eyes...

XXXXXX

Jacob and Bella were hiding out in Seth Clearwater's bedroom. Sue had let them alone as she knew that Bella was Jacob's best comfort right now. She had enough to deal with. Rebecca and Rachel were sitting at separate ends of the room, lost in their own grief. Embry was inconsolable. His mom was dead and never coming back. Leah and little Seth were sitting on either side of Embry trying in their own way to offer him support. Sue had never been so proud of her children. She knew that even if Sarah did survive, there was no way that she could take on Embry's care as well. The boy needed a place to live and Sue Clearwater vowed that she would fight tooth and nail with the authorities to let the boy stay with her and Harry...

In the bedroom Jacob and Bella were holding onto each other tightly. Jacob's head was buried in Bella's shoulder and she had let him cry himself to sleep. Her own tears were still running down her face. Sarah Black had been like her own mother. Renee had long disappeared out of her life. She rarely called or visited her daughter now that she had a new boyfriend.

Suddenly the darkened room was flooded with light as Sue peered in at the two children. Bella raised her head and looked at the older woman questioningly.

"She's awake Bella. Sarah is going to be alright..." Sue felt a smile form on her lips as she watched Bella shake Jacob gently to waken him.

"Jake did you hear that? Your mom's going to be okay." Bella said in delight.

Jacob finally opened his eyes and gazed blearily at them both. "Mom?Bells is she really going to be alright?"

Bella nodded enthusiastically and hugged him close. "Yes Jake, your mom is fine."

Sue Clearwater gazed at them both for another minute before she closed the door again and left them alone to absorb the news...

A/N-Sorry I am quite tearful myself now. Thanks for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Two**

Charlie opened his eyes blearily and blinked as the faint light shining through the half opened curtains pierced his eyes. He ran his hand over his face and yawned. Glancing over to his bedside clock he realised it was six am, he was due to take the early morning shift at the station and he was already running late, shit! He threw the covers back and crawled out of bed; he shuffled around looking for his slippers and finally found them beside his bed. He shoved his feet in them and sighed as he saw how ridiculous they looked. He only wore them because they had been a father's day present from Bella. They were red with a wolf's face on the front end. The felt ears stuck up and glassy eyes were attached on either side. He swore that Billy was behind this present from his daughter.

He lifted his arms in the air and stretched as he gave another loud yawn. It was dark mornings like this one where he felt old. Still half asleep he walked out into the hallway and was just about to descend the stairs when he felt something squelch under his slippers. He stared down at his feet in confusion...What the hell? Charlie's eyes travelled back up the stairs and toward his daughter's room following the trail of muddy footprints that led straight to her bedroom door. They were not human footprints; oh no they were paw prints. There was only one explanation for that.

Narrowing his eyes Charlie trudged over to Bella's room and carefully opened the door. He peered into the darkened room and made out two figures fast asleep on his daughter's single bed. Jacob was lying on his back and Bella had her head resting on his chest. One of Jacob's arms was wrapped around Bella and their hands were clasped. Jacob was wearing a pair of cut off sweatpants; they were easy to attach to his leg when he travelled around in his wolf form. Charlie crept back out and closed the door. He had been extremely tolerant over the last six months since Sarah had her accident. He knew that being close to Bella helped keep Jacob focused and happy. Seeing his mom come home and in a wheelchair had knocked the whole family back. They all had to learn to adapt now that the glue that held the family together was no longer able to walk.

Sarah was still having difficulty accepting the situation. Billy had been confiding in Charlie a lot, it was one way to release the stress he was now under, holding down a full time job and now taking on the care of his wife. Sarah had always been an independent soul and to be driven to be dependent on others had sent her spiralling into a deep depression. Nothing seemed to pull her out of her funk and it was Billy who took the brunt of her mood swings. She was also experiencing horrifying flashbacks of the accident and found it hard to sleep. Charlie had hoped the twins would be more help to their father but they seemed more focused on getting out of La Push as fast as they could by any means possible. It was young Jacob who helped his dad care for his mom.

The poor lad was so busy attending school, coming home and helping his mom until Billy got home and then patrolling the tribal lands for any signs of nomadic vampires. Being with Bella was his way of feeling normal and relaxed. Jacob had just turned twelve and was growing taller by the day. His wolf gene had ensured that he was maturing at a faster rate than your average twelve year old boy. He already appeared older than his years and even though Bella was two years ahead of him in age he seemed more like sixteen then twelve.

Charlie pondered what to do. He really had no choice, he was going to have to put his foot down and demand that Jacob stop his late night visits. The two of them were growing up and some firm boundaries needed to be put in place. Glad that he had reached a resolution, he made his way down the stairs to make his first coffee of the morning and give himself time to think about the best way to approach the subject with his daughter and Jacob.

XXXXXX

Embry snuck in the Clearwater's front door and closed it gently behind him. It had been raining as he ran back in his wolf form and his hair was now drenched. He had just finished his turn on patrol, Jacob and Embry had devised a schedule between them. Twice a day, once in the early morning and late evening they would take turns to run around the boundaries of La Push, checking for any signs of vampire activity. Luckily for them they had yet to encounter any.

Leah was waiting outside her room and caught him as he tiredly strolled toward the room he now shared with Seth. "Where the hell have you been?" Leah demanded, her arms crossed and sparks shooting from her eyes.

"None of your business Lee...I need to get some sleep, get out of the way would you." Embry shot back irritably.

Leah eyed him warily. She felt huge sympathy for Embry, he had lost his mom after all, but she was worried that his late night and early morning disappearances were a cover for some sort of unlawful activity. She refused to budge and glared at him. If he was up to something dodgy she did not want Sethy to be drawn into it. Her younger brother idolised Embry and now looked upon him as an older brother.

"Are you doing drugs or something Em? "Leah asked bluntly.

"Drugs? Are you serious? Just leave me alone woman." Embry lost his patience and shoved Leah to one side.

"I'll find out Embry Call...I will." Leah yelled after him as he opened the door to his room and shut it in her face.

XXXXXX

Bella rolled her eyes as she watched Leah staring over at Sam Uley and Jared Thail. She was wearing a soppy look on her face, her crush on Sam blatantly obvious. "Earth to Leah, come in Leah...have you not heard one word I said?"

"What?" Leah said distractedly. Sam was tossing a ball over to Jared and Leah was mesmerised by the muscles showing clearly through his tight t-shirt.

"Leah, will you stop eyeing up Sam for one second and listen to me?" Bella demanded.

Leah sighed and finally returned her attention to her friend. "I am not eyeing him up...I am simply admiring the view. God Bella he is so gorgeous, look at his muscles and he has the cutest ass I..."

"Lee I don't want to discuss Sam's physical attributes right now. I am trying to tell you about the embarrassing conversation I had with my dad this morning." Bella huffed.

"Yes I know, Charlie grilled you about your 'friendship' with Jakey boy, you did your usual impression of a burnt orange and you had the sex talk, blah blah blah...Does that about sum it up?" Leah smirked.

"Well yeah I suppose it does. Do I really look like a burnt orange when I blush?"Bella asked worriedly.

"Yeah I am afraid so, well actually more like a ripe tomato but hey Jakey boy would adore you even if you turned bright blue." Leah laughed at her lame joke.

"Very funny Leah Clearwater...Jake and I are just good friends." Bella stated, punching her friend in the arm.

"Whatever..." Leah replied, already bored with the conversation. Her eyes wandered over to Sam Uley again and it was her turn to blush as he saw her staring and winked at her playfully. She grimaced as she heard Bella burst out into giggles beside her.

XXXXXX

Sue sat down opposite her friend and sighed. As she was a nurse she had taken on the day to day checks of Sarah's condition. The damage to Sarah's lower spine had rendered her wheelchair bound. However it was the mental scars that were refusing to heal.

"You have got to stop this Sarah." Sue stated bluntly.

"Stop what?" Sarah shot back at her, already knowing what she was about to say.

"Stop wallowing and pull your head out of your ass. It's not only you that is suffering here...your moods are affecting everyone. Billy is..."

"Billy has two legs and can walk while I am stuck in this thing." Sarah hit the arms of the wheelchair in frustration.

Sue sat forward in her chair and caught hold of Sarah's hands. "Billy is exhausted Sarah. Mentally and physically...he is holding down two jobs, running around after the kids and you."

"So I am a burden am I?" Sarah said bitterly.

"Listen to me woman you know that is not what I meant. We have known each other for years and I do not believe in walking on eggshells. You have healed enough to start doing things for yourself if you bother to try. You can't expect Billy and Jacob to do it all for you. Where is your fighting spirit Sarah? This is not like you? Billy needs his wife back and your kids need their mother."

Tears began to leak out of Sarah's eyes. "I lost my spirit the day I killed Kay Call." She mumbled.

Sue's eyes widened." Please tell me you don't believe that? Kay caused the accident due to her own reckless behaviour."

Sarah hung her head. "If I had done something different...Kay would be alive and Embry would still have a mother."

Sue gently pushed the other woman's hair away from her face. "Sarah you did everything you could to help Kay, in fact you went out of your way for both her and Embry over the years."

"But Embry he is..."

"Is fine..." Sue finished for her. "He is really blossoming Sarah. You should see him; he fits in with my family fine. I know that you won't see him because you feel like it's your fault he lost his mom, but really what sort of life did he have with her anyway? Please Sarah try and get past this, we all need you."

Sarah finally raised her head and wiped at her tears. "I'll try..."

Sue breathed a relieved sigh. "That's all we ask." She patted Sarah's hand and stood up to get them both a drink.

XXXXXX

Jacob and Bella strolled along First beach. Jacob swung their clasped hands back and forth, trying to make Bella smile. Since they had met up earlier she had seemed in a pensive mood. He had tried to draw her out of her shell but her attention was elsewhere. It seemed that the mortifying conversation that they had with her dad had thrown her through a loop. Jacob wasn't bothered in the slightest; there were always ways round any rules. You just had to find them.

"Bells what's wrong?" Jacob asked eventually, tired of the silence.

"Nothing..." Bella's gaze wandered back out to the sea. Her eyes seemed far away. Jacob felt a stab of fear pierce his heart.

"There is something wrong...Please talk to me?" Jacob stopped walking and gently took Bella's face in his hands. "I don't like it when you don't confide in me, we're best friends right?"

"Yes...but there are just some things I want to keep to myself alright. Just let it go..." Bella said irritably.

"Like what? We always tell each other everything, no secrets remember?" Jacob reminded her.

"Will you stop it? There are some things I won't discuss with you and this is one of them. Look I feel tired and I want to go home." Bella took his hands away from her face and turned away from him.

Jacob started to panic. He was not used to Bella being cranky with him. He caught hold of her arm and swung her round. "Don't leave like this? Look I will come over tonight and we can..."

"No Jacob...did you not hear my dad's rules. I need some space, okay." Bella's face was flushed with anger as she once again turned her back on Jacob. For the first time in an age she missed her mom. She really needed another female to confide in. Once she would have been able to talk to Sarah, but she had enough to cope with.

Bella knew there was only one other person she could talk to and she smiled grimly to herself. Leah Clearwater was her only hope now. She trudged her way back down the beach lost in her own thoughts, she did not see the devastated expression crossing Jacob's face. He felt like everything was crumbling around him. He could not lose Bella, she was his whole world.

As he always did when his emotions overwhelmed him he suddenly phased into his wolf form and sprinted for the trees. His anguished howl echoed through the dense forest...

_A/N-I know, super angsty chapter. I felt that it was necessary to explore Sarah's mindset after the accident. Her recuperation was never going to be easy as her whole life has changed. As for Bella and Jake I know that you must be really annoyed with her right now, but she is blossoming into a young woman and there are just some things you don't want to discuss with a boy (hint, hint). Bella needs some female advice; I think you can all guess what about, LOL. _

_Thanks for reading!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N- Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter, your awesome feedback on this story keeps me motivated. :)_

_LOL, you all guessed what was up with Bella correctly! There is drama coming up in this chapter so brace yourselves! _

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Three**

Bella knocked on the Clearwater's front door nervously. She had been rehearsing in her head about the best way to broach the subject with Leah. The door was suddenly yanked open and Embry emerged. He looked surprised to see her, but he smiled in greeting.

"Hey, Bella, where's Jake?" He enquired.

Bella frowned in irritation. "Still at the beach, we are not attached at the hip you know."

Embry snickered at her words. "Duh...Bella, you two are always together."

"Never mind that now, where is Leah? I need to speak to her." Bella tried to see past Embry into the house.

"Ugh don't mention Lee. Honestly she should join your dad in the police force. She has been interrogating me for the last hour about what I have been up to because I keep disappearing off. She thinks I am into drugs or something..." Embry ran his hand through his hair.

Bella smirked. She could just picture Leah following Embry around demanding answers. "She only worries about you Em."

Embry rolled his eyes. "Whatever? I am going for a run, maybe then I could get some peace."

Bella giggled as she watched Embry sprint away from the house and into the nearby trees. Shrugging her shoulders to release the tension Bella entered the house and began to search for Leah. She wandered around slowly and ended up in the kitchen. She came across Leah's textbooks scattered around the kitchen table, the words _SAM LOVES LEAH_ were scrawled across the front in red marker pen. Bella shook her head; Leah really did have it bad.

She eventually found Leah in the small back garden. Her friend was stretched out on the lawn, a paperback in her hand, reading. The weak sun shone on Leah's shoulder length black hair. She had decided to grow it out from the pixie crop she used to wear. Bella made her way over to her and flopped down beside her.

"I thought you were with Jakey boy having a romantic stroll on the beach..." Leah turned briefly and grinned at Bella.

"We did...I mean I was. Anyway I came here to ask you about something..." Bella began nervously.

"Shoot girlfriend..." Leah closed her book and sat up, crossing her legs in front of her.

Bella felt her face heating up with embarrassment and she cursed the fair skin that always gave her away. Leah was about to make a smart remark but she stopped herself when she saw how panicky the other girl looked. She reached out and gently patted Bella's hand.

"Don't worry Bella, just ask me anything. What's wrong?" Leah asked in a gentle voice, totally unlike her usual tone.

Bella swallowed nervously. She began to bite her bottom lip in agitation. "Lee...I...I...err...I'm now a woman." She suddenly blurted out.

Leah stared at her friend's flushed face for a second, not sure what she was getting at. Then it hit her like a freight train. Bella had started her periods. "Oh hon...I see. Do you need some stuff? I have some spare. Oh Bella..."

Bella gave Leah a small smile. She had been worried that the older girl would tease her. "Yeah please...I don't know what to use for the best. I mean, I can hardly ask my dad. I still haven't recovered from the embarrassing sex talk yet."

Leah smiled at her in sympathy. She grabbed hold of Bella's hand and towed her toward her bedroom...

XXXXXX

Billy came home to the smell of cooking. He opened the front door and crept inside, wondering who was making the effort to actually cook. It couldn't be Jake, that boy could burn water. It must be one of the twins. Billy felt his mouth watering. He had missed his wife's home cooked meals. He walked tiredly into the kitchen and was astonished to see Sarah in front of the stove. She was so intent on what she was doing she did not hear her husband approach.

"Sarah? " Billy's voice made her jump. She swivelled around in her chair and smiled at him.

"Hey Billy, come into the kitchen. Dinner is nearly ready. I thought I would make the meal tonight, give you a break." Sarah patted down her freshly washed hair. Sue had helped her put on one of her best dresses and apply some makeup. Billy couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Sweetheart you look beautiful..." He said huskily.

Sarah smiled tremulously in response. "You have to say that..."

Billy knelt down in front of his wife and gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "No I don't, you're beautiful Sarah, inside and out. I love you so much."

Tears pricked at the corners of Sarah's eyes as she reached out a shaking hand and touched Billy's cheek. "I'm sorry...I know I haven't been..."

Billy leaned forward and stopped her words with a soft kiss on her lips."Never say sorry to me..." He whispered. They both rested their foreheads against each other's and closed their eyes. For the first time in an age, they both felt a spark of hope...

XXXXXX

"So that's about it," Leah finished as she handed Bella what she needed.

"Thanks Lee...I really appreciate you doing this." Bella replied gratefully.

"No problem...come on girl, I need some food." Leah began to get up from the bed and waited for her friend to join her. However Bella sat frozen in place. Her eyes were glassy and she seemed to be staring at nothing.

Leah waved her hand in front of the other girl. There was no response, she did not even blink. "Bella stop it, you're scaring me now."

Silence...Bella remained as still as a statue. Leah began to panic and she grabbed hold of Bella's arms and shook her hard. The other's girl's head snapped back and her eyes closed as she slumped back onto the bed.

"Bella, don't do this? Please what's wrong? Bella..." Leah cried out as she knelt beside her friend. Bella's body began to jerk, almost like she was having a fit. After a few seconds of this her body stopped moving. Leah stared at her in fear, she tentatively touched Bella's arm and her eyes flew open.

"Bella are you back now?" Leah's voice shook as she spoke.

Bella took in a deep breath. "Jacob..." She whispered before she suddenly opened her mouth wide and began to scream...

XXXXXX

Jacob had been running through the forest aimlessly after his tiff with Bella. He stretched his wolf legs to their limit, bounding over fallen logs and bursting through low branches, not caring that they whipped him in the face and drew blood. He felt so angry and hurt. Running like this was a good distraction and helped him burn off his anger. He felt Embry phase in but ignored the other wolf's questions. He just wanted to be alone and sort through his pent up emotions. He was so focused on this that he was totally unaware of the nomad vampire who had been watching him, hidden deep within the undergrowth. The wind was blowing in the opposite direction so Jacob had no warning before the vampire suddenly burst forth and attacked.

Embry heard Jacob's howl of pain echo in his mind through the shared mind link. He saw Jacob being attacked and he instinctively headed in the direction of his friend. It took a good five minutes of hard running before Embry finally managed to reach Jacob. The disgusting smell of rotten meat hit his nostrils and Embry felt like he wanted to gag. It was the first time he had ever smelt a vampire. Breathing heavily he caught sight of a whirling mass of wolf and a pale faced, skinny human like figure. Jacob was trying to get a grip on the leech's neck but unfortunately the vampire had snapped one of his front paws and he was hindered in his movements.

Embry did not hesitate, he jumped in the fight and got a tight hold on the back of the leech's head and pulled hard. This gave Jacob a chance to get to his feet. Limping badly on three legs, he gripped the leech's legs with his strong jaws and tugged. With Embry's teeth still holding onto the vampire's head they both ripped the creature in half. Its deafening screams pierced the air.

The two wolves released the vampire and took deep, gulping breaths. Jacob slumped to the ground, his paw was bent at a weird angle and he had deep gashes down his sides. Embry immediately phased back and assessed the damage.

"Jake...I have got to burn the pieces like we were told. Then I am going to help you get back home, alright?" Embry watched Jacob nod his large wolf's head tiredly. His healing ability had kicked in but it was using an enormous amount of his energy reserves to work. He longed for Bella and it was her face he saw in his mind as he closed his eyes and lay his head on the ground.

XXXXXX

After a lot of begging and reassurance that she was fine, but insisting she had to see Jacob, Bella finally managed to persuade Leah to let her walk over to the Black's house. The other girl insisted on accompanying her in case she suddenly blacked out again. Bella did not care, she had seen the whole fight with the vampire through her connection to Jacob, and she just wanted to get to him as quickly as possible. She knew that he would head home as soon as he was fit enough to. The fear and overwhelming devastation she had experienced when she thought he was going to die kept whirling through Bella's mind. She had felt every injury and hurt that he had. She thanked god that he was okay.

It seemed to take an age to walk over to the little red house. Leah kept shooting worried glances her way, but Bella was entirely focused on getting to her destination and ignored the other girl. After fifteen minutes they saw the little red house ahead through the trees. Leading the way Bella began to run toward the front door, Leah sprinted after her.

"Hey slow down Bella..."

Bella stopped suddenly and glanced around with a frown. Leah could see a myriad of emotions crossing the other girls face and wondered what she was thinking. Eventually Bella gave her a half smile. "Lee would you do me a favour and go ahead and see if Jake wants to see me. I mean we did have a bit of an argument. Please?"

Leah rolled her eyes but carried out Bella's request. Bella watched her go for a few seconds and then changed direction and headed over to the garage. She knew that Jake was not in the house. She just needed to get Leah out of the way. Yanking the doors of the garage open Bella cried out when she saw Jacob sprawled out on the floor, Embry kneeling beside him. He was trying to mop up some of Jake's blood with an old t-shirt.

"Bells?" Jacob called out weakly when he heard her gasp. He shifted around so he could see her. Bella ran to his side and embraced him, hiding her face in his shoulder length hair.

Embry watched the two of them curiously. Jacob's injuries, although bad, were already healing up quite well. He just needed to rest. He heard Bella muttering sorry to Jake repeatedly. Jacob had rolled onto his back and pulled Bella into a tight embrace. Embry felt like he was intruding. He stood up and stealthily slipped away, leaving the two of them alone.

XXXXXX

Later that night another wolf joined the pack as Sam Uley phased for the first time...

_A/N-I was up really early this morning writing this chapter. I just needed to write it down. The ideas kept buzzing around my head, keeping me awake...Thanks for reading!_


	15. Chapter 15

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Four**

The russet coloured wolf and the black wolf faced off against each other. The hackles rose up on the black wolf's back and he snarled, showing all his teeth. The other wolf just gazed intently at the enraged black wolf. They began to circle slowly, eyes fixated on each other. The black wolf feinted, trying to draw the lighter coloured wolf into making a mistake but the other wolf was not fooled. He was going to show the black wolf who was in charge. He may be a lot younger, but he had a lot more experience. After all hadn't he just killed his first vampire?

Suddenly the russet coloured wolf charged the black one and slammed into his side, knocking the breath from the other wolf's body. The black wolf tried in vain to defend himself but the russet coloured wolf sank his teeth into the ruff around his neck and shook him back and forth.

"SUBMIT." The alpha voice echoed through the black wolf's mind and he felt his whole body slump to the ground. Within seconds his outline shimmered and he became a man again. Sam Uley lay on his side, gasping for air as the russet wolf stood tall and stared down at him.

XXXXXX

Sam finally got his breath back and sat up. He ran his hand through his sweat soaked hair. The muscles bunched along his back as he tried to control his rage. The thought of being bested by a twelve year old boy, albeit one who looked sixteen, rankled him. Jacob phased back too and stood calmly in front of Sam, waiting out his reaction. He had spent most of his life as a spirit wolf, he could understand Sam's vexation at what had happened to him, but he needed to know who was in charge. There could be no dispute within the pack; they all needed to work together.

Sam finally stood up, dusting himself down and glared at Jacob. He was slightly taller than Jake, but not by much. They had all been growing at an incredible rate. Jacob knew that Sam would now have the same growth spurt as him and Embry. He had spent the better part of the day trying to make Sam understand what had happened to him and why. Unfortunately Sam had resisted any overtures of friendship and gone straight in for the attack, taking all his frustrations out on the youngsters. This had eventually forced Jake into a corner where he had to prove to Sam who was in charge.

"So, this means that I have to follow you around like a damn puppy on a leash, otherwise you will issue your Alpha shit on me?" Sam demanded.

Jacob was getting tired of Sam's confrontational attitude. He had tried his best to be understanding but he had enough. "Yes it does Uley, until you can control that temper of yours and treat me with respect I order you to do exactly as you are told and do not dare to defy me..." Jacob's voice had deepened as he spoke and the irises of his eyes changed colour to a dark black.

Sam felt the full force of the Alpha order course through his veins and he found himself nodding in acquiescence.

"Go home Sam, we will all meet up again later tonight." Jacob was getting restless. He had been away from Bella for too long and yearned to see her badly. He watched Sam turn around, his whole demeanour tense as he suddenly phased into his wolf form and sprinted away into the trees.

XXXXXX

Bella lay next to Jacob on his bed; her hands were behind her head as she copied his posture. The first thing she had done when she arrived at his house was to check him all over, making sure his injuries from the vampire attack had all healed. To her delight there was not even a scar remaining on his lovely tan skin. She turned her head to the side and met his intense gaze; she could sense how troubled he was feeling. The worry shone from his dark eyes.

"Bells are you okay? Have you hurt yourself?" Jacob asked her softly.

"Huh? No I haven't hurt myself, what makes you ask that?" Bella responded, completely confused by his question.

Jacob frowned and reached out his hand to touch her cheek gently. "I can smell blood Bells, remember I have an enhanced sense of smell. Did you cut yourself or something?"

A red flush settled over Bella's cheeks as she stared at Jake in mortification. She knew exactly what it was he smelt. She flung his hand away from her face and got up from the bed. "God I don't believe this. What are you playing at?" She yelled at him.

Jacob sat up, completely clueless as to why Bella was suddenly shouting at him. "Bells I was only asking? Why are you so upset?"

Bella narrowed her eyes at him and placed her hands on her hips. "You can't be that dumb surely Jacob. You have two sisters..." She shot back at him.

Bella watched Jacob's changing expression as he finally seemed to realise what she was hinting at. His eyes widened and a faint redness tinged his cheeks. "Bells...I'm...I mean...I should have, I thought...oh god help me out here honey. I don't know what to say."

Bella stifled a giggle. He looked really adorable stammering like that, but another part of her was still pissed that he had even forced her to mention it. A fresh cramp assaulted her stomach and she grimaced at the pain. Jacob held out his hand and caught hold of hers in his warm grip.

"Does it hurt?" He enquired gently, seeing the pain crossing Bella's face.

"A bit..." She muttered, not really looking at him.

"When Rach suffered with her stomach cramps she used a hot water bottle." Jacob suddenly said. "But well I have something much better."

Bella gazed at him in confusion. "What?"

"C'mere."

Bella lay back down on the bed and stretched out again next to Jacob. He lay on his side, propping his head up on his hand. He placed his other hand on her stomach and gently rubbed it in soothing strokes. His supernatural warmth soothed the ache in her stomach.

"Better?" He asked, concern radiating from his eyes.

Yeah, "Bella said grudgingly. She closed her eyes and let his heat wash away the ache.

Jacob smiled...

XXXXXX

Leah was getting seriously annoyed with Bella. They were supposed to be friends but for the last week she had been making dumb excuses not to hang around with her. To make matters worse she had caught Bella out in a blatant lie. The other girl had cancelled on Leah yet again, saying she needed to stay home and study. Leah had reluctantly tried to believe Bella, but something nagged at her that her friend's tone sounded off. Bella had never been a good liar.

Running an errand for her mom to the local shop Leah had been shocked to see Bella, surround by Jacob, Embry and Sam Uley, of all people. The girl had been laughing and had actually smiled at her Sam. Well he wasn't her Sam technically, but still, Bella knew how much she liked the guy. Why the hell was Sam hanging around with a bunch of twelve year olds anyway? A horrible thought suddenly occurred to Leah. Bella wasn't twelve, she was fourteen. Did Sam have a crush on Bella? Maybe he was only hanging out with the others to get close to her. Leah felt her whole world crashing down on her as she pondered this idea. It all made perfect sense. Her best friend had betrayed her.

Leah stomped home; anger flowed through her at the thought of Bella getting her hands on Sam. She dumped the groceries on the kitchen table and headed to her room, slamming the bedroom door violently. She sat on her bed, her chin resting in her hands. She needed to find out for sure what was going on. The only way she could think of was to follow Embry when he next met up with the others. She would then be able to spy from a distance and find out what the hell was going on. Feeling a lot calmer now that she had made her plan, Leah went off to execute it.

XXXXXX

Embry knew straight away that Leah was following him. He smirked to himself as he heard her footsteps behind. Her movements sounded loud to his sensitive hearing and he kept catching glimpses of her out of the corner of his eye. She must be really determined to catch him doing something dodgy, like she kept accusing him of. Well she would find nothing; he was just going to meet up with the others. A new patrol schedule had been agreed now that Sam was part of the pack. Jake felt it was about time that the newest pack member take his turn. Embry glanced behind him again and saw Leah's shadow dart behind a parked car. He was getting tired of Leah's amateurish attempts at subterfuge. He cast around for somewhere to bolt off to and smiled when he saw a grove of trees, within seconds he sprinted over to them and became hidden under their cover. He chuckled when he heard Leah cursing to herself when she realised he had out manoeuvred her.

XXXXXX

Leah wandered aimlessly; she kicked at a stone and watched it sail through the air glumly. She had been so certain that Embry did not know she was tailing him, but his quick disappearing act soon proved her wrong. Unhappiness overwhelmed her as she thought about Sam and Bella. Without realising where she had been headed, Leah saw that she was on the outskirts of the Uley property. Sam's small house was half hidden by large trees. She just happened to gaze over toward the house when she noticed Sam emerge from the front door. Her eyes widened as she watched him whip off his t-shirt, putting his amazing abs on display. Wow the guy really had packed on a lot of muscle lately, just like Jacob and Embry.

She saw Sam glance around, as if making sure no one was about and then he jogged toward the trees. Leah drew closer to get a better view. Half hiding behind the trunk of a tree, she strained her eyes to catch a glimpse of him. What she saw made her blink her eyes rapidly and rub at them in disbelief. No freakin way? She had not seriously just seen Samuel Uley strip naked and then vanish into the surrounding trees. Leah walked away in a daze, her head full of images of a naked Sam, she had been right about him he did have a cute ass.

XXXXXX

Bella groaned in annoyance as she heard the banging on her front door. She had been trying to catch up on some homework she had been avoiding for the last week. She trudged over to the door and opened it slowly. A glowering Leah was standing on the doorstep. Without a word she shoved past a shocked Bella and marched into the living room.

Bella followed her slowly. She could tell how worked up Leah was so she waited for the other girl to speak first. Eventually Leah turned and faced Bella. "I know what is going on Bella. I saw Sam."

Of all the things that Bella had thought that Leah would say, this was not one of them, she knew? How? What the hell had Sam done?

"You saw Sam? Oh god Lee, I never wanted you to find out this way, I know how much you like him." Bella gave a heavy sigh.

Leah gazed at her curiously as she crossed her arms in a defensive pose. "It's not that bad Bella."

"It isn't?"

"No. So Sam is a naturist. I mean if he likes stripping off and walking about in the nude, who am I to complain? I can just enjoy the view. You shouldn't have been so worried about telling me Bella, jeez you didn't have to avoid me over it. You can be so dumb sometimes girl." Leah shook her head and gave Bella a big grin.

Bella returned her smile weakly. She felt like she had woken up in an alternate universe where everything had been turned upside down. So Leah thought Sam was a naturist, just wait until Jacob heard about that one...

Bella linked arms with Leah and pulled her to sit down on the sofa. "You know I would never keep secrets deliberately from you right?" She asked anxiously.

Leah nodded. She was still too distracted by the images of Sam in her head. She giggled and nudged Bella in the ribs. "Oh Bella, I really do think I am in love. You know what, I am just going to go and ask the guy out. What do you think?"

"Maybe you should try and get to know him better first Lee. Let him see how fantastic you are, huh?" Bella suggested.

Leah flopped back on the sofa and sighed. "I suppose it couldn't hurt. I tell you though Bella once Sam gets to know me he won't want any other girl." She vowed, a determined glint her eye.

Bella grimaced, she sensed trouble ahead...

A/N-Not too sure about this chapter, but there are only so many times you can rewrite something, sigh. Thanks for reading. :(


	16. Chapter 16

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-I know the last chapter was not very good. I hope this makes up for it. Nikki_...

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Five**

Seth Clearwater felt hot, his forehead was burning and he brushed his hand across it as sweat dripped down his face. His teacher looked at him with concern. "Seth, are you feeling alright?"

"Not really sir, I feel really hot." Seth admitted. He was not one to complain usually so his teacher knew that he wasn't faking it.

"Go to the sickbay Seth and see the nurse." His teacher smiled at him kindly as he ushered the young boy out of the room.

"Thanks sir." Seth whispered as he stumbled his way down the hall toward the sickroom.

After quickly examining him and taking his temperature the nurse was horrified. Seth's temperature was off of the scale. She immediately phoned a paramedic to take him to hospital and then his parents to inform them what was happening. When Harry Clearwater received the message about his son he began to panic. He knew at once what was happening, all the signs were there, but why Seth and why now? Harry jumped in his car and drove fast to Fork's hospital, praying he wouldn't get a ticket for driving over the speed limit.

He burst through the hospital doors, out of breath and red in the face. He approached the reception and tried to get better control of himself. "I need to see my son Seth Clearwater; he was brought in here not long ago." He gasped.

The receptionist nodded at him and called through to the ER. After talking quietly for a few minutes she put down the phone. "Your son is in the ER, he has a very high temperature which the doctors are monitoring, but considering how feverish he is, the doctor has assured me he is awake and coherent. If you just follow the corridor and then turn left, you will find Seth in the fourth cubicle down."

"Thank you." Harry said gratefully and followed the receptionist's instructions. It was not long before he located his son.

"Sethy are you alright?" Harry ran to his son's side and examined him carefully.

"Dad...I'm scared. I feel so hot and my bones ache." Seth said miserably.

Harry put his hand on Seth's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Son, we need to get you out of here before the doctor comes back and runs more tests."

"Why?" Seth asked a puzzled frown on his face.

Harry took hold of his son's hand and looked at him earnestly. "Seth you trust your old man right?"

"Yes dad." Seth replied automatically.

"Well the doc can't help you with this. You would be better off at home." Harry said quickly, glancing around to make sure the nurses were out of earshot.

"Okay..." Seth answered trustingly.

Harry smiled encouragingly at his son as he helped him up from the gurney. They crept out of the hospital, making sure to keep out of sight of the medical staff, the last thing that the Quileute tribe needed was for them to investigate why a young lad had such a life threatening temperature but was still alive and able to walk.

XXXXXX

Jacob was sitting opposite his dad in the kitchen. His mom had made herself scarce as this was a talk between two men and she did not want Jake to feel uncomfortable. Billy handed Jake a drink and poured a beer for himself. He grinned at his son sheepishly and tried to think of the best way to start the conversation.

"Dad what is it? You obviously want to say something so just spill." Jacob demanded.

"Easy son...look I am trying to think of the best way to say this but well, you are growing up..." Billy started to say.

"Well I never guessed that. What gave it away dad? Maybe it could be that I am nearly six foot tall..."

"Sarcasm does not suit you son. I am trying to have a serious discussion with you. Your mom and I want to make sure you understand a few things. Now as your body grows so does your emotions and the old hormones kick in. I remember I was not much older than you when I began to notice that girls were..."

Jacob stood up from his chair and pushed it back. "No...No way. Charlie has already beaten you to it dad. I have already had the 'keep your hands off of my daughter until she is 105' lecture from him. I don't need to hear it again. Bells and I will do what we want, when we are ready...so just back off."

Billy stared up at his son, towering above him, looking and sounding so much older than his years. He was maturing at a rate faster than they all expected. However he was still not quite thirteen. He might seem very self assured but inside he was still a kid. A kid with a lot of responsibility beyond his years but he still needed guidance.

"Sit back down Jake; this is not just about the sex talk. It is much more than that and you know it. I have never really spoken in depth to you about the bond that you share with Bella. I have seen how you are together and it worries me." Billy admitted.

Jacob flopped back down in the chair and glared over at his father. "Worries you? Why?"

"Because, you both can't stand to be parted for long periods, you especially Jacob, I have mentioned imprinting before but never discussed it in depth with you. I felt you had enough to deal with coping with what has happened with becoming a spirit wolf so young and then your mother's accident..." Billy stopped talking when Jacob got up from the chair suddenly and it fell back with a crash.

"Will you just stop? I don't care about the imprinting crap, I...I love Bells because I choose to, not because of some supernatural pull. Do you not get it? We share a bond because we want to and...and all this talk of separation is just bullshit. Leave us alone." Jacob yelled.

Billy stood up and faced his son; he had never expected such a strong reaction. Jacob had misunderstood his intentions entirely. "Hey come on now Jake, just calm down. I was only trying to..."

"Lecture me again, just like Charlie tried to do the other day. It's none of your business alright. Just stay out of it." Jacob refused to let his dad speak further as he ran out of the house, slamming the door so violently that it came off of its hinges.

Billy stared after him, still in a state of shock as to how the talk had gone so badly wrong. He sat back down at the table and took a long swig from the beer can. After seeing how upset Jake had become at the mere mention of any sort of separation from Bella increased his anxiety. However he did not have time to ponder the issue for long. The phone rang and Billy reluctantly answered it.

"Billy...oh my god, Billy, its Seth..." Harry's distraught voice echoed down the line.

"What's wrong with little Seth?" Billy asked.

"He phased...Sethy is now a wolf."

Billy dropped the phone and staggered back. What the hell was going on? He bent down and fumbled with the handset. "I'm coming right over Harry. Stay calm and try and keep Seth in one place."

"I can't...he phased in front of Sue and Lee Lee. Sue screamed when she saw what happened and poor Seth was spooked. I have no idea where he is? Please Billy, Is Jake or Embry there? They are the only ones who can help my son now. I am so worried for him." Harry's voice shook as he spoke.

"I don't know where Jake is. We got into a bit of an argument. Look I will call Bella. If I know my son he will have gone straight to her anyway. You need to keep Lee and Sue quiet Harry." Billy warned his friend.

"I know my responsibilities Billy." Harry snapped. "Just go find my son."

"Fine, I will call you back soon." Billy replied curtly as he slammed the phone down. He slumped back against the wall. As if he didn't have enough to deal with? Picking up the phone he dialled the Swan's number...

XXXXXX

Bella was sitting watching an old black and white film with Charlie. Her dad had been reminiscing about the old actors, saying the young ones today didn't hold a candle to the likes of Cary Grant, Clark Gable and the rest. It took him a moment to realise that his daughter wasn't listening. Her eyes were glassy looking and she was frowning. Her hands clutched at the material of the worn sofa in a tight grip.

"Bells are you alright kiddo?" Charlie went over and knelt down in front of her. He waved a hand in front of her face, but she did not even blink. "Bella talk to your old dad, come on?"

Bella's lips began to move, but Charlie had to strain to hear the whispered words. He thought she said Jake's name and then Seth's? Moving closer he reached out and moved her head so that she was facing him. Her eyes blinked suddenly and she seemed to come out of her trance. Charlie breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey kiddo, are you alright? What happened?" He asked her gently.

Bella stared wide eyed at him. "Daddy, it's Seth, he phased..."

Just then the phone began to ring.

XXXXXX

Jacob and Embry managed to corner Seth not too far from the Clearwater's property. As soon as Jake had phased and began his journey to see Bella, Seth's fear and panic surged through the pack mind and he stumbled as he realised he had yet another pack brother. He howled a warning and it did not take Embry long to phase in. He too was surprised at the fact that Seth, of all people, had phased. He had not noticed any signs. Seth was a happy go lucky kid. He never got angry; he was a laid back sort, like his dad.

Seth stood before them, his legs shaking and his head bowed. Jacob urged Embry to approach him first. He lived with the boy and he knew that Seth looked up to Embry.

"Hey Sethy, it's alright it's me Embry." He said cautiously through the pack mind link.

Seth's wolf head shot up and his ears perked forward. "Embry?"

"Yes it's me. I know you are scared but it's okay. You are a spirit wolf Seth, just like me and Jake here. As you can tell we share a mind link, it allows us to communicate. Now I am going to show you some images in your mind about how it happened to me and what it all means." Embry informed him.

Seth's head moved up and down in a nodding motion. He felt much calmer now he knew he was not alone. The first images assaulted his mind and he watched Embry's story unfold in his head.

XXXXXX

Bella tried to explain as best she could to an anxious Billy and Charlie that everything was alright. She had seen everything through Jacob's eyes and knew that Seth was with them and he was fine.

"You can actually see what happens to Jake when he phases?" Billy asked her in surprise.

"Well, sort of. Not all the time, only when he is upset or in danger. He was panicky when he realised Seth had phased and I could see and feel what he was going through." She replied calmly, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Charlie and Billy exchanged glances. They had not expected this. Charlie smiled at his daughter. "How long have you been able to do this kiddo?"

"Always, but it has become stronger since Jake got attacked by that vampire." Bella shuddered as she recalled that terrifying incident.

"Bella can Jake do the same too?" Billy enquired.

"Yes...though he can't see what I see. He just has feelings when I am sad or upset. I thought you knew?" Bella admitted.

"We knew that you shared an imprinting bond but..." Billy stopped speaking when Bella frowned at him. She was wearing the exact same expression that Jake had worn when Billy had brought it up.

"Imprinting bond," She snapped. "Jake and I are close because we choose to be, not because of some spiritual mumbo jumbo."

"Okay kiddo, calm down..." Charlie tried to placate his daughter. Billy gazed at her in contemplation.

Bella's attention was drawn away from the two men as she suddenly looked over toward the front door."They're here." She said.

Both men turned and followed her gaze. Seconds later the front door opened and Jake and Embry entered the house, followed by Seth Clearwater. As soon as Jake was in her line of sight Bella ran over to him and he pulled her into a bear hug. After a moment he released her and took her hand. He did not seem surprised to see his dad and he nodded at Charlie in greeting before speaking.

"Dad, we need to talk. Seth has..."

"We know son. Seth has phased. Bella told us. You are right, we all need to talk." Billy agreed. "I just need to call Harry and tell him Seth is okay."

Jake nodded and he followed Bella and Charlie into the kitchen while his dad made the call to the Clearwater's.

A/N-Thanks for reading!


	17. Chapter 17

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer

_A/N-A lot of readers were confused over the ages of the kids. At this point in the story, Jake and Embry are twelve, Bella fourteen, Seth is ten, Leah is fifteen, Sam is sixteen and so are the twins. I hope that helps. Nikki _

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Six**

The Clearwater's did not take long to arrive after Billy made the phone call. As soon as Sue saw her son she rushed over to him and engulfed him into a tight hug. Harry too threw his arms around his son. Leah rolled her eyes at her parents embarrassing display; she went over to Seth and punched him on the arm. "Don't scare me like that again." She said playfully. Seth grinned at her and pulled her into a hug.

After she managed to disentangle herself from Seth, Leah walked over to Embry and gave him a sheepish smile. "So it wasn't drugs then huh?"

Embry laughed. "No, I just change into a hairy wolf now and again."

Leah held out her hand for Embry to shake. He took it gratefully. "I'm sorry Embry." Leah apologised softly.

Bella smiled up at Jake. She was so proud of the way Leah was taking things. "I'm just going to go and have a word with Lee." She whispered to Jake.

"Okay Bells." Jacob replied. "I've got to have a chat with the old men anyway. Once Sam gets here we can try and figure out what the hell is happening."

Bella squeezed his hand and walked over to Leah. "Hey Lee, are you alright? I know you must have been..."

"You lied to me." Leah interrupted her.

Bella flushed at her words. There was no denying the hurt in her friend's tone. "I'm sorry Lee, I had no choice. I wasn't allowed to say anything."

"Bullshit," Leah whispered fiercely. "We're supposed to be best friends. You made me look a right idiot over Sam now. He is wolf too isn't he? That was why I caught him stripping off and running into the woods."

Bella felt tears well up in her eyes at Leah's harsh tone. "I never meant to deceive you, yes Sam is too. He will be here soon. He was asleep resting when Seth phased. Jake called him..."

Leah crossed her arms and glared at Bella. "Just stay away from me Bella. I don't like liars."

Jacob had come up behind Leah and heard the tail end of the conversation. His anger flared as he felt Bella's devastation communicate itself to him. "Well you better include your dad in that too. He knew all about us, obviously never bothered to let you in on the secret. Must be because you have a big mouth Leah Clearwater and can't be trusted."

Bella stumbled her way to Jake and he caught her just as she was about to trip. "Please Jacob, don't start an argument. Leah is right, I should have..."

"My dad knew? About Sam too?" The complete devastation in her voice made both Jake and Bella pause.

"Yes, he knew. He is on the tribal council." Jacob replied.

Leah began to back away and suddenly turned and sprinted out of the house, Bella calling out her name echoing in her ears.

XXXXXX

Sam pulled on his sweatpants and emerged from the tree cover just outside of the Swan's property. He was just about to walk up the driveway when a young girl burst out of the front door. She seemed blind to where she was headed because suddenly she barged straight into him. The breath was knocked from the girl's body; Sam just caught her as she began to fall backwards. He helped her stand upright and finally took a proper look at her. He recognised her at one, it was Leah Clearwater, the girl he had a crush on for the past six months. He had just been about to ask her out when this whole wolf business kicked in, now he had no chance. He kept his gaze onto the ground and refused to look at her.

"Are you alright?" He muttered.

Leah dusted herself down and wiped at her tear filled eyes angrily. "Yes. The other's are in the house if you want to see them."

Something in her tone made Sam glance up at her. She sounded so distraught. "Are you really alright?" He asked her again.

Leah finally made eye contact with him and her whole world exploded around her. She heard Sam gasp and his hands instinctively reached out for her and she allowed him to embrace her. His whole body exuded warmth and a comforting feeling surged through her veins. Leah laid her head on Sam's broad chest and found her own arms automatically circling his waist. She felt blissful and relaxed. A small smile formed around her lips as she closed her eyes. Without any words being exchanged, both of them knew they had come home.

XXXXXXX

The discussion between the men had been going around in circles. No solution had yet been found as to why Seth Clearwater or any of the kids had phased at such a young age. The vampire activity in the area had been sporadic. Jake and Embry had reported finding a lot of trails nearby, but apart from killing the one nomad they had come across, the other cold ones had seemed to circumnavigate the borders of La Push.

"Maybe it is because they detect the spirit wolves are patrolling the boundary lines." Harry mused.

"It sure seems that way. I mean that's a good thing right, if the vamps just move on. They must be able to smell the pack when they go past the area." Charlie replied.

"Yeah, apart from that one overzealous nomad, they do seem to take the wolves scent as a warning to stay away. I worry though, with Seth now phasing there has to be something else coming in the future. Call it gut instinct, but I think we need to prepare the boys for something bigger than a few random nomads." Billy advised.

Charlie and Harry exchanged glances. There was wisdom in Billy's words. The men looked over to their offspring. Jake was sitting on the sofa, comforting Bella. She was still upset after her confrontation with Leah. Seth and Embry were off to one side, just talking things through. They were waiting for the fourth member of the pack to arrive. Where the hell was Sam Uley?

Five minutes later their questions were answered as Sam and Leah entered the house, arms wrapped around each other and blissful smiles on their faces. Harry and Billy recognised the signs at once, although Charlie had no clue. He was shocked to see his normally mild mannered friend rise up from his chair and glare fiercely at Sam.

"Get your hands off of my little girl if you don't want me to shoot you where you stand Samuel Uley?" Harry yelled. It was only the quick thinking actions of Billy and Charlie which stopped him from launching himself at the boy as they grabbed him and wrestled him back into his seat.

XXXXXX

Leah and Sam stared at Harry, confused expressions on their faces. His eyes were locked on Sam's face and he was drumming his fingers on the table. Sue grabbed hold of her husband's hand to stop him. The noise was getting on her nerves. She glanced over at Billy and Charlie.

"So you are saying that not only has my son turned into a spirit wolf, now Sam has imprinted on my daughter. All in one day?" She demanded.

Billy ran his hand through his hair and sighed heavily. "It seems that way yes."

"Does this happen to all the wolves?" She asked.

"Yes...well not all, but most of them find their mates this way, according to the old legends." Billy advised. "My son is imprinted with Bella. It happened at a very young age. He was only five when..."

Jake stood up at this point, pulling Bella up with him. "I told you dad that I love Bells, imprinting has nothing to do with it."

Bella nodded her agreement and pushed closer into Jacob's side, gripping onto his hand tightly.

"I had the hots for Sam before this happened. Bella knows, I told her all about it." Leah suddenly said.

Sam turned to Leah and a big grin formed on his lips. "Really? I had a crush on you for a while, but I couldn't do anything once I morphed into a giant wolf."

Leah's eyes lit up at his confession. "You did? I never knew...we have wasted so much time."

"Yeah babe we have." Sam said softly. He seemed unaware of their audience as he leaned down to kiss Leah. However Harry banged his fist down on the table, making them all jump.

"I told you boy not to manhandle my little girl." Harry warned Sam yet again.

"Dad, you heard the others, we are meant to be together." Leah shot back at him.

"What about all your plans Lee? You were on track to go to one of the best colleges in the country. The careers advisor said you could practically go or do anything you wanted. Is this how you want to live your life, tied to La Push and Joshua Uley's son? You know his father's reputation on the res...sleeps with any woman who will have him. How do we know Sam is not the same?" Fire shot from Harry's eyes as his anger at the latest turn of events overwhelmed him.

Charlie decided to intervene. He stood up and glared at his old friend. "Will you shut up? I kept my little girl here with me because firstly I wanted her to live at home and because of the bond she shares with you Jake. I believe them both when they say their feelings are far more than just dictated by the supernatural link you all insist that they share. I can see it shining from their eyes when they are together. I see the same thing in Sam when he looks at your daughter Harry. That is a good thing, how about we start listening to our kids, instead of just sitting here dictating their lives for them, huh?"

A big smile crossed Bella's face after she heard her dad's impassioned speech. It was rare for him to say so much all at once. She walked over to him and gave him an uncustomary hug. "That's it dad. That is exactly what me and Jake were trying to say before. Thank you."

Charlie patted his daughter's hand and looked around at the others. The room was entirely silent; all eyes were riveted onto him. "Well have none of you anything to say?"

Sue smiled at him and nudged her husband. "Come on, you know he is right. Apologise to Sam and Leah?"

Harry swallowed the bile in his throat. "Of course, I am sorry. It was just a shock."

Sam and Leah sat back in relief. She winked over at Charlie and mouthed sorry to Bella. Bella smiled back at her in relief. The tension in the room began to dissipate and everyone began to speak, expressing their opinions. Bella began to gather together some snacks and Leah left Sam and helped her, trying to make amends for her harsh treatment earlier.

The atmosphere was cordial until the phone rang, heralding more bad news. A distraught Sarah was calling for Billy. It appeared she and Rebecca had an argument about the girl's selfish attitude to everyone in general. Rebecca had threatened to run away, Sarah had dismissed this as just another one of her attempts at seeking attention. But it seemed this time she was serious. Rachel had come running to her mom and showed her the letter that her twin had left behind. All her clothes were gone and money was missing from Sarah's purse. Rebecca was missing and no one knew where she had gone...

A/N-Phew I am utterly exhausted after writing that chapter. Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I really love getting your feedback it does keep me motivated. Unfortunately I did not get to reply personally to everyone this time. I am having awful problems with my e-mail provider. It has been up and down all week, sigh. Thank you all for your patience._

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Seven**

**One year later...**

Rachel sat alone at the picnic tables, scattered about the tribal school's fields. She had just finished eating her lunch. Since her twin Rebecca had run away from home she had become very introverted and was now classed as a loner. The friends she used to have became tired of her constant excuses not to leave the house. She threw herself into her studies. If Becca could leave La Push, so could she. Her sister had now been missing for a whole year. The effect on the Black family had been devastating. Her mother blamed herself and her depression had returned with full force. Her father was finding it hard to cope, juggling two jobs and running the house. Her brother Jacob, who was now thirteen and six feet tall, was barely at home. He was either out in the garage tinkering with cars or at the Swan house with Bella.

Rachel felt like she had no one to turn to. She had tried to talk to Leah, she was close to her age, but she was so wrapped up in her relationship with Sam Uley that she just dismissed Rachel's overtures of friendship. Bella had tried. In the first few weeks after Rebecca took off, Bella had made several attempts to talk to Rachel, but she had been so upset at the loss of her twin that she had brushed the girl off. Now Bella kept her distance, just like the others. Rachel had learned that the only person she could rely on was herself.

She picked up the book she was studying and tried to read but the text swam before her eyes. She felt like she had a permanent headache these days. A voice interrupted her reverie. "Hey sweetheart what are you doing?"

Glancing up, Rachel saw a pair of long, muscular legs standing in front of her. Her eyes travelled up the boy's body until they reached the grinning face of Jared Thail. She frowned, not again! Why wouldn't he leave her alone? She didn't care if he was the school's sporting hero. He may be good looking, but he had a huge ego. Lots of girls chased him, why he kept badgering her was a mystery.

"Well aren't ya going to even say hello then princess, huh?" Jared asked as he flopped down beside her. He snatched the book she was holding out of her hands. "You need to do something other than study you know, I saw you squinting. "

Rachel glared at him and grabbed the book back, stuffing it in her bag. "Why don't you just leave me alone? Go find one of those other brainless bimbos that follow you around to hang out with."

Jared whistled and nudged her playfully. "That's a bit harsh princess."

Rachel gritted her teeth."Stop calling me princess."

Jared's grin grew even wider. He seemed to be enjoying riling her up. He leaned in closer and she felt his hot breath graze her cheek as he whispered. "Come on Rach, I know you love it. Come on a date with me tonight?"

"Never," She snapped.

Jared chuckled and watched her struggle to rise. She brushed the grass off her jeans and began to stomp off back toward the school. "I will pick you up tonight at six princess." He called out after her.

"I won't answer the door." She yelled back over her shoulder.

"Oh yes you will princess." He muttered to himself as he watched her disappear into the school.

XXXXXX

Old Quil watched as his grandson came in and slammed the door hard. He flinched at the loud sound. Quil chucked his school books on the kitchen table and cursed as some fell on the floor.

"Watch your language..."Old Quil remonstrated mildly.

Quil turned and glared at his grandfather. Sweat was pouring down his face and his clothes were soaked through. He felt like his bones were aching and that he had a fever. "Sorry, "he mumbled. "Don't feel so good. I am going to lie down."

Old Quil's eyes widened as took in the youngster's appearance. He looked ready to crawl out of his skin. A chill gripped the old man's heart. It seemed that there would soon be another member of the pack. He watched his grandson retreat to his room and put his head in his hands. A rumour had reached him today about a new family that had just moved to the outskirts of Forks. It had not been fully confirmed just yet, Old Quil had sent out some spies to check it was true, but he felt it in his gut that their old enemies had returned to take up residence in the area once again.

He had been holding off speaking to Billy Black or the pack about it just yet. He knew how much Billy was struggling, just trying to keep his family together. The pack was running on empty what with trying to fit in school, along with their rigid patrol shifts. Jacob had been doing his best, but they were all still so young. It had been agreed that they just stick to their own borders, but it was well known that Jake was often running over to Forks to check on Bella. The lack of proper rest was taking its toll on all of them. Now their mortal enemy was attempting to set up home once again on their doorstep.

Old Quil got up from his seat and reached for his walking stick. He walked slowly over to a wooden box that was securely locked and half hidden behind old papers that had been piled on top. He brushed them off and fumbled around his neck for the chain he always wore. Dangling on the end was a key. He placed the key in the old lock and with some effort twisted it open. Inside were mounds of ancient documents and parchments, detailing the tribe's history. Carefully extracting them from the box, as some of the paper was rather ancient and fragile; Old Quil took them back over to the kitchen table and spread them out. He hunted through the pages carefully, looking intently for one in particular. After ten minutes had passed he found it. Written across the top of the sheet in ancient text were the words, TREATY. He scanned the contents with an expert eye until he reached the bottom and studied the names that had been signed there so long ago. He recognised the names of his ancestors and his eyes wandered over to the first signature belonging to the other signees. The name Carlisle Cullen stood out in stark relief against the white parchment.

XXXXXX

Bella hurried down the school corridor trying to escape Mike Newton. He had become more persistent in his pursuit of her lately and she was getting sick of it. She had never met someone who so blatantly refused to take a hint. She heard him calling her name and increased her pace. Glancing behind and not looking where she was going Bella suddenly hit something solid in front of her. The breath flew from her body as she reeled backwards. A hand steadied her and she flinched at the cold touch. It took her a moment to recover her breath and she was glad when the person's hand was removed after she was back on her feet.

"Are you alright? You seem out of breath?" A smooth male voice made Bella glance up and she was confronted with the palest boy she had ever seen. After spending so much time around Jake and his friends, this boy's complexion paled, literally, in comparison to theirs. His most striking feature was his hair. It was a brassy red colour and was gelled up into the biggest quiff she had ever seen. She couldn't take her eyes off of it.

"Are you alright? You seem confused; do you need some medical assistance?" The boy's voice finally pierced Bella's daze.

"Err...no. I mean no thanks. I was just err...thanks for catching me. I should have checked where I was going. Sorry." Bella mumbled, she began to walk away again before the boy's cold hand stopped her in her tracks.

"Are you sure? I mean I have just enrolled at this school and could use a guide, do you think you could show me where the science labs are? Science is a specialty of mine and I was told to speak to a Mr Varner about some advanced tutorials." The boy gave Bella a crooked smile as he once again removed his hand, much to her relief. His touch was making her shiver.

Bella was just about to refuse when she heard Mike coming up behind her. "Bella there you are. Didn't you hear me calling?" He asked petulantly.

"No Mike, look I have to go but this boy, sorry I didn't catch your name?"

"My name is Edward, Edward Cullen. So your name is Bella, that is short for Isabella, am I right?"He asked her, flashing her his crooked grin again.

Bella grimaced at the mention of her full name; she hated being referred to by that. "Yes. Look, Mike will show you the labs. I am in a rush, see you around, bye." She took off before either boy could stop her.

XXXXXX

Jacob seemed to be in a trance. Embry, who was sitting near him in class, threw a pencil at him which hit him on the head. It brought him out of his stupor.

"What is wrong with you?" Embry whispered.

"I am going to have to go, something is wrong with Bells, I can sense it." Jacob replied, keeping his voice so low that only Embry could hear.

Embry nodded at once. "I'll cover for you, get out of here."

Jacob nodded at him and slipped from his desk quietly. The teacher had his back turned to the class as he was writing on the board. Silently Jacob crept out of the classroom, the other kids barely giving him a glance as he passed. They were used to him and his friend Embry disappearing at odd times. Once out in the fresh air Jacob sprinted for the tree line. He dumped his books and stripped down. He attached just his jeans to the leather thong tied around his leg and left his t-shirt and shoes behind. Inside the dense tree cover he phased and headed off to Forks high school.

XXXXXX

Bella was waiting outside by the school gates. She had skipped her last class once she felt the pull from Jacob. She instinctively knew he was coming to meet her, she could sense his agitation and worry, and her own matched his. The new kid that had just enrolled made her feel uneasy. There was something about him that she could not quite place. His whole demeanour was strange, his golden eyes had pierced right through her and his touch was so cold. Bella shuddered as she recalled his intense stare.

A few minutes later Jacob appeared, his chest was bare and he wore an old pair of jeans, slung low on his hips. He must have phased into his wolf form to get there. Bella immediately ran over to him and flung her arms around him. To her surprise Jake shoved her back and stared at her, a strange expression on his face.

"Jacob, what's wrong?" Bella asked in confusion.

Jacob was breathing heavily and his eyes looked wild, the irises of his eyes were black. "Bells, why do you smell like a bloodsucker?"

A/N-The Cullen's are in town, sigh! Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-Thanks once again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate all your kind feedback. Nikki :)_

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Eight**

Bella's eyes widened and her face showed her fear. She could sense all of Jacob's anger and hurt at the fact that she reeked of vampire. But she couldn't understand when she would have come into contact with one. She reached out a trembling hand and tried to catch hold of Jacob's hand, but again he stepped back. His limbs were clearly shaking as he struggled against the urge for his wolf to burst forth and hunt down his mortal enemy. The human and rational part of him fought against the phase and he closed his eyes taking deep breaths.

"Jacob, please I don't know why I have a vampire's scent on me. I was just waiting outside here for you. Calm down..." Bella pleaded with him.

Her voice pierced his anger and Jacob opened his eyes as her overwhelming sense of confusion and hurt surged through him. The very thought that his Bells was upset because of something he had done calmed him down and he managed to think more clearly. He swallowed down the bile in his throat at the thought that one of those creatures had come near her. "I'm sorry Bells; it just took me by surprise."

Feeling relieved Bella stepped closer and Jacob took her hand in his own and squeezed it. The cool air was beginning to wash away the scent and he pulled her into a comforting hug. "I don't understand why I would have a vampire's smell on me Jake. I don't get it. I have just been in school."

"I don't know. Have you come into contact with anyone you didn't recognise today?" He enquired, grimacing when he rested his head on top of hers and a fresh wave of leech stink blew in his direction.

"Only the new boy, I bumped into him as I was trying to get away from Mike." Bella pulled back and stared up at Jacob. "He was so cold Jake; his touch made me shiver and his eyes...surely not, in a packed school, full of teenagers?"

"Shit...look, Bells I am going in there. I can't let this creature pick off his victims. I need to confront him. Go home and call your dad and mine. What was this kid's name?" Jacob asked.

"Edward Cullen..."

Jacob stilled when she said the name. Cullen? He recognised it. Frowning he tried to search through his memory. Where had he heard that name mentioned before? It only took another few seconds before it hit him. The treaty! Cullen was the last name of the Coven who had signed the treaty with his ancestors. They featured heavily in his dad's stories about the past spirit warriors. Bella felt his emotions swirling as he tried to think of the best way to go about confronting the leech. If he was one of the original Cullen clan, he needed to tread carefully.

"Jake are you alright?"

"Come on Bells, I need to go and consult my dad. I recognise the leech's last name. If he is part of the coven we have a treaty with, well I will be in breach of it if I go and rip his head off, even though I really want to, especially after he dared lay his hands on you." Jacob said bitterly."You won't be able to go back to this school now he is there Bella."

Bella gazed up at him in fear. "Let's get out of here then Jake."

Jacob slipped his arm around Bella's shoulders and, after glancing back toward the school building, they headed to La Push.

XXXXXX

The Black's house was crowded as the pack, Billy, Charlie and Harry sat around either on the chairs or the floor. Luckily Sue had offered to take Sarah out and Rachel was on a date with Jared Thail. As soon as Jacob had informed his dad about what had happened at Bella's school, he had made some calls and gathered everyone together. Old Quil could not make it as his grandson was not very well. He had confessed to Billy that he thought Quil was on the verge of phasing. He also finally revealed that he had guessed that the Cullen coven had returned and his spies had now confirmed that fact. There were seven of them, the leader and his mate, plus another three males and two female leeches.

Billy had been angry that Old Quil had kept him out of the loop, but the old man admitted it was because he did not want to put more pressure on him and his family unnecessarily. He apologised profusely for his mistake and Billy told him to go and keep an eye on Quil. He would tell him the outcome of the meeting afterwards.

Charlie stood up and started to pace after hearing a retelling of the legends from Billy about the original treaty agreed by the tribe's ancestors. He could not get his head around the fact that these were the same vampires from so long ago. "Look, this treaty is old why are we having to abide by it now? This is the twenty first century; doesn't it have an expiry date? God my little girl could have been hurt today? Are you really telling me we are going to allow these creatures to mix with our kids at school? What on earth do they want to attend school for? I have just found out the leader has taken a position at the hospital, the hospital where sick people bleed every day. Is he going to use his job to gain regular access to the blood bank or what? Explain to me why I can't go up to their hide out right now and demand they leave."

Billy sighed and exchanged an exasperated glance with Harry. Charlie's temper was getting the better of him and he wouldn't listen to reason. "Chief, sit down. These are no ordinary vampires. According to the histories they do not drink human blood to survive. I told you already they hunt animals instead. The last time they were in this area my ancestors agreed they could stay as long as they kept away from La Push. They kept to the agreement and there is no record of them attacking a human while they resided here."

Charlie shot Billy a look of disbelief. "There were only four of them then. Now they are seven in number. We have no idea what the new members of this coven are capable of."

The pack had remained silent while they listened to the older men arguing over their best course of action. Jacob was leaning toward Charlie's side. He wanted to confront them and destroy them all, treaty or not. But he had grown up with the old legends and knew he had to abide by the rules set down by the elders. They were there for a reason. He felt Bella shift uncomfortably beside him. He could sense her uneasiness. She had been spooked by the fact that she had unknowingly encountered one of the leeches they were talking about.

"I am going to confront the leader and demand to know what he is playing at?" Charlie suddenly declared. He fingered the gun at his hip.

"On what grounds Charlie, huh?" Harry asked mildly.

"I am the chief of police." He blustered.

"What, are you going to arrest them? What for exactly?" Harry looked enquiringly at Charlie.

Charlie glared at Harry. "No need to be facetious. I can at least warn then that I know what they are and I will be watching them closely."

"No dad, please don't go near them." Bella got up from her seat beside Jake and ran over to her dad, flinging her arms around him.

Charlie sighed and mussed her hair. "I will be alright kiddo. They can't attack me in broad daylight. Anyway you heard Billy and the others, they hunt animals."

"Bella's right chief, you need to stay out of it. " Billy said tiredly. He was so exhausted having to confront this constant stream of problems.

Jacob got out of his seat and gently pulled Bella away from Charlie so he could hold her hand. He always felt stronger with her beside him. "I want to meet with the coven leader and demand to know what their intentions are."

Sam, Embry and Seth all nodded in agreement with their pack leader. Bella exchanged a panicked look with Leah. She was the only other one who knew how she felt with regards to any of the pack placing themselves in jeopardy. However she also saw the sense in Jacob's suggestion. It seemed the older men did too as they gave approving smiles Jacob's way.

"We will be there with you son." Billy said proudly.

"No you won't."

"What? There is no way I am going to let you face a coven of vampires alone?" Billy replied fiercely.

Jacob regarded his dad calmly. "I am the Alpha of this pack. How would it look if I need my dad to hold my hand? I want to show these leeches we cannot be intimidated. One of them dared to lay a hand on Bells. I will not allow any of them to come near her or any of my friends or family. "

"Woohoo Alpha Jake, go get em boy." Leah yelled suddenly.

Jacob turned and glared at her in annoyance. Sam whispered in her ear and her face turned red with embarrassment. "Sorry," She muttered. "I was only trying to lighten the atmosphere."

Sam gave her a big grin and gently pulled her head up for a lingering kiss on the lips. Harry's face darkened at their open display of affection. He was still having trouble accepting his little girl was growing up. He had tried to get to know Sam a bit better, but he was still having difficulty separating Sam from his father's bad reputation on the res. A part of him feared that he was going to break Leah's heart.

"So it's agreed then. I want to set up a meeting as soon as possible." Jacob reiterated

Billy nodded. "Maybe it is for the best. I will send them over a missive straight away. Jacob I am proud of you son."

"We all are..." Bella leaned into his side and he looked down at her lovingly.

Jacob felt so much happier knowing he had Bells on his side. She always managed to make him feel whole. When he was apart from her it felt like he had a constant ache in his heart. He regretted his earlier reaction to the incident at her school.

Charlie interrupted his reverie. "Bells you are going to have to leave Forks high. I cannot have you anywhere near that place while the Cullen's are about. I won't risk it."

Bella sighed. "I guessed that, but what do I do now. Will I have to do one of the on-line school programmes?"

Billy stood up and smiled at Bella. "No, you will be allowed to attend the tribal school. The circumstances call for a special dispensation."

Jacob and Bella's faces lit up. Bella returned Billy's smile. "Thank you." She said softly.

"I think this is the end of this meeting. Charlie go to the fridge and grab us all a beer." Billy suggested.

"You don't even need to ask." Charlie immediately went over to the fridge and rustled up some beers.

The tension in the room eased and everyone began to relax now that a plan had been put in place.

XXXXXX

That night Quil Ateara phased for the first time...

A/N-I know that this chapter was quite slow, but I needed to include a lot of info. Thanks for your patience, Nikki.


	20. Chapter 20

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-I would to THANK everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter. I have read and appreciated each one. The Cullen's feature in this chapter, so prepare yourselves..._

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Nine**

Bella sank her hands into Wolfie's thick pelt and hummed happily. He in turn licked her face enthusiastically, making her giggle. His tail wagged from side to side and it brought back memories to Bella about when they used to take strolls together just like this. Recalling her younger days she remembered how innocent she was back then and how much simpler life was. Her expression changed to one of anxiety as she thought about the Cullen's and the meeting that had been set up between them and the pack for the next night.

They had received a response at once. The letter was addressed to Billy and came in an expensive, perfumed envelope. The writing was elegant and the words flowery. The coven leader had apologised profusely for not informing the tribe about his return. He had no idea a wolf pack still existed as they had not come across any sign in the immediate area. The pack had kept strictly to the La Push borders. He had agreed at once to a meeting to allay any fears that the tribe may have and assured them that all of the new arrivals would be present. He had signed his name, Dr Carlisle Cullen.

Wolfie could sense Bella's fears. He laid his large wolf's head on top of hers and her thin arms slipped around his neck as she hugged him close. "I'm scared. I don't want you to go." She whispered, finally voicing her fears.

Wolfie rubbed his head on top of hers and then nudged her gently with his nose so she had to look into his eyes. Bella saw herself reflected back in his large orbs; she rubbed along his jaw line in understanding. A deep rumbling sound emanated from Wolfie's chest and Bella felt much calmer. After a while they began to move forward again and she kept a tight hold of his fur as they continued their walk. Their peace was shattered however as movement from the side made Wolfie's head spin round and he stood protectively in front of Bella as another wolf appeared out of the bushes. A chocolate brown wolf, with a light shade covering his face and muzzle, came trotting over to them. Wolfie growled a warning at the other wolf, but it ignored him and continued on its chosen path. It skirted around Wolfie quickly and made straight for Bella, tongue lolling out of its mouth as it gave her a big grin.

Bella guessed who it was. She had not seen him in his wolf form until today because Jacob had warned her that Quil was still having trouble containing his enthusiasm. He had nearly caused harm to Leah by rushing up to her and greeting her, but he had been unable to stop his momentum, as he was still getting used to his wolf's body. He had hit her hard and bowled her over. The breath had been knocked from her body and she was covered in scratches and bruises afterward. Even though Leah did not blame Quil for what he had done unintentionally, Sam did. He had sought Quil out and given him a well deserved thrashing, warning him to stay away from Leah.

Now here Quil was about to do the same thing again. Wolfie charged the chocolate brown wolf and knocked him over. His teeth bit into the other wolf's neck and he shook him. The other wolf whined in protest, but stayed down. Wolfie let go and stood growling at the chocolate wolf. Bella could tell that they were communicating silently through their shared mind link. Eventually the chocolate wolf got up and with his ears flat to his head and tail down; he skulked back into the bushes and out of sight.

Bella sighed and went back over to Wolfie and buried her hands back in his fur. She could feel the deep shuddering breaths he took as he tried to calm his anger down. Her touch helped as he once again rested his head on top of hers and closed his eyes in relief. Bella closed hers too and they both stood there trying to hold on to the last few minutes of peace that they had found.

XXXXXX

Charlie stood outside of the revolving doors of the hospital. He was accompanying an accident victim to the ER. A foolish young teenager had stolen his dad's motorbike and slammed straight into a tree. He had broken both his legs and had internal bleeding. He would need extensive surgery. When Charlie had found out who would be performing the surgery he had scowled and left the hospital before he did something reckless. He had caught a brief glimpse of Dr Carlisle Cullen from afar. He heard some nurses whispering about how good looking the other man was. Charlie had glared at them and they just gave him dirty looks in return. It seemed that Dr Cullen was already quite popular among his work colleagues. If only they knew.

He wandered over to a bench and sat down. He sat there contemplating how he was going to keep his cool with Cullen. He had to speak to him about the boy's injuries as he was the one performing the procedure. He cursed the idiotic boy who had put him in this position due to his reckless behaviour. Charlie sat there for over an hour while he watched the comings and goings from the hospital. He was so deep in thought that he did not hear the other man approach and was startled out of his reverie by a deep voice saying his name.

"Chief Swan, I understand you need to speak to me about the boy's injuries?"

Charlie stood up and spun round. He stared at the other man in shock, not sure how to react. Carlisle Cullen gazed at him curiously for a moment and held out his hand. "Sorry, allow me to introduce myself I am..."

"I know exactly what you are, so let's cut the crap."Charlie finally recovered his voice and stared the other man down. His hand automatically held onto the gun at his hip.

Carlisle stared unblinkingly back at him. After a tense few seconds, he was the first to tear his gaze away. He gave a fake sigh and walked gracefully over to the bench and sat down. "How did you work it out?" He asked simply, dropping all pretence.

"One of your coven accosted my daughter at school and I am very good friends with Billy Black." Charlie replied coolly.

"I see. We do prefer the term family, Chief Swan. The boy, my son, meant your daughter no harm. He was very impressed with her when they met and hopes to be able to make friends. We are not here to cause any trouble. We are simply trying to do what you all are and that is to live a peaceful life." Carlisle's voice dripped with sincerity.

Charlie gripped the holster tighter in his hand. "Friends? I hardly think so. My daughter will no longer be attending Forks high. If I had my way neither would any of your 'so called' family. But I can't do anything about that. Just tell me what I need to know about the boy's injuries and I will leave."

Carlisle stood up again abruptly. "I am sorry you are taking that attitude Chief Swan, there really is no need to be so suspicions of us. My son would never let harm come to your daughter. I can assure you he has taken a real shine to her and has not stopped talking about her since, but if that is the way you feel, then of course I will do all in my power to not let our paths cross unnecessarily."

A cold chill ran down Charlie's spine at Carlisle's words. If this boy had taken an interest in Bella he would need to make sure she never came into contact with him. "Let's get this over with Dr Cullen, I have somewhere to be." He said abruptly.

"As you wish..." Carlisle said smoothly, his golden eyes boring through Charlie like a knife.

XXXXXX

Seth stared around him with wide eyes as he accompanied Bella into her old school. She needed to clear out her locker and collect some of her belongings. Jacob was supposed to be with her but for the second time that day Quil had got on the wrong side of Sam and he, along with Embry was trying to calm the situation down. The Cullen clan would not be starting at the school until the next week, so Jacob considered it safe for her to go in quickly with young Seth for company and retrieve her stuff.

"This is so different from the tribal school Bella. It is so much bigger." Seth kept stopping and touching things. He found a water fountain and when he turned it on, it sprayed all over his face. Bella giggled at his shocked expression.

"Oh Seth you're such a sweetie." Bella said with a laugh.

A goofy smile crossed Seth's face as his secret crush on Bella stepped up a notch. "Really?"

Bella, totally unaware of his feelings, nodded and linked arms with him as she led the way to the science labs to hand in her text books to Mr Varner. As they passed the school office, the secretary called out to Bella.

"Isabella Swan, you should know that you can't bring in people who do not attend this school without express permission from the principal. "

Bella sighed, she had totally forgotten. "Look Ms Green, I am only dropping off some of my books and emptying out my locker. I won't be a minute."

Ms Green stared at Bella over her half moon glasses and shook her head. "Rules are rules Isabella. The boy has to stay here where I can see him. You go off and get your stuff and meet him back here."

Seth began to panic; Jacob had expressly told him not to leave Bella's side. Bella huffed in annoyance. Ms Green was well known for being petty, "It's alright Seth, the labs are only at the end of this building. I will be five minutes at the most."

"But Bella, Jake made it clear that I was not to leave you." Seth said worriedly.

Bella smiled and patted the young boy on the arm in reassurance. "I won't tell him. Don't worry Sethy, just wait here."

Seth nodded reluctantly and sat down. He watched Bella head down the corridor and wondered whether he had done the right thing.

XXXXXX

Bella slipped into the science lab and found it empty except for one person sitting at one of the tables. The boy had his head down and seemed to be studying a large text book in front of him. A shaft of sunlight shone through the window and highlighted the boy's bronze coloured hair. As soon as she entered the room his head shot up and Bella gasped as she saw rainbow sparkles glimmer across his pale skin, before the sun was hidden behind the clouds again and his skin tone returned to normal.

Edward Cullen stared over at Bella and gave her a crooked grin. "We meet again. I was hoping to be able to talk to you, properly this time."

Bella's eyes were wide, she felt like a deer frozen in the headlights of an oncoming car. She couldn't get her legs to move. Edward frowned when she didn't respond to his question. "Are you alright? I apologise if I startled you that was not my intention at all."

Bella shivered as his eyes locked on hers. She felt like she was losing control of her own thoughts as he kept talking to her softly, like a frightened animal. He approached her cautiously, his hand held out in supplication. "It's okay Bella; you don't have to be frightened, not of me." His voice was hypnotic and Bella just stood very still, not able to move.

It was the school bell ringing that brought her out of her trance. She tore her eyes away from Edward's and flinging her text books on a nearby table, she ran out of the classroom as fast as she could.

Edward watched her go and sighed. He inhaled the lingering scent she left behind and his golden eyes darkened. She really did have the sweetest smelling blood. It called to him; also the fact that he could not read her mind fascinated him. She obviously knew what he was, it was written all over her face. She intrigued him deeply and he yearned to find her again so that they could talk. A bitter laugh spilled from his lips, he really needed to try and rein his urges in, otherwise there was no telling what he might do. He slipped out of the classroom and headed outside into the fresh air.

_A/N-I had to cut this chapter in half as it was quite lengthy. I will try and edit the second part and update again soon. Thanks for reading. _


	21. Chapter 21

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Ten**

Bella came rushing back down the school corridor, at the last moment she stumbled and it was only the quick thinking actions of Seth, which saved her from the fall. Ms Green's mouth dropped open as she saw a blur pass her line of sight as Seth rushed to Bella's aid. He caught her just before her head hit the concrete floor. Bella gripped onto Seth's arms and tried to regain her composure. Her unexpected encounter with Edward Cullen had scared her. For some reason there was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel very uneasy.

"Bella are you okay? What happened?" Seth asked anxiously as he helped her to stand.

"Not in here Seth...outside." Bella said breathlessly.

Seth nodded, and holding onto Bella firmly, he assisted her out of the school and into the parking lot. As he held her close he got his first whiff of vampire scent and he tensed up. He did not want to alarm Bella further however so he kept silent until they were far enough away from prying eyes and ears. "I can smell leech stink Bella, what happened in there?"

Bella felt her panic abating now that she was away from the school. She took Seth's hand in her own and looked up at him. He was only an eleven year old kid, but he had experienced the same rapid growth spurt as the others and was already towering above her. He looked more like her age then his own. "Sethy I need you to trust me okay."

Seth bit his lip in confusion. "You know I do."

Bella smiled in relief at him."Look one of the Cullen boys was in there, the same one I met before."

Seth's eyes narrowed as he turned and glanced back at the school building. "Did he hurt you? We need to get hold of Jake and..."

"No Seth, we can't tell Jake..."

"Why not?"

Bella sighed and looked Seth in the eye. "He has enough to deal with right now Seth. There is the big meeting tomorrow night; he has been trying to deal with the Quil and Sam situation. I don't want to pile more pressure on him. You can understand that right?"

"But Bella, he can always feel when you are worried or upset. He will find out. I don't like the idea of keeping this from him." Seth protested.

"Please Seth," Bella begged. "I can deal with Jake. I will just tell him I am anxious about tomorrow, which is true. Look the Cullen boy did not hurt me; he just alarmed me a bit. I wasn't expecting him to be there. Do it for me, please."

Bella had hit on the one reason that Seth would agree. He couldn't resist the pleading look in her chocolate brown eyes. His little crush got in the way of his better judgement and he found himself agreeing to do as she asked.

XXXXXX

Later that evening Bella sat across from her dad as they silently ate their dinner. They were both lost in their own thoughts as they pondered on the events of the day. It was Charlie who spoke first.

"Kiddo, I need to tell you something..."

Bella looked at him expectantly and she shivered as she saw the worried frown on his face."What is it dad?"

"I saw Carlisle Cullen today and well we had words."Charlie finally revealed.

"Dad no, I thought you were going to stay away from them. You promised?" Bella found that she was shouting at her dad. Fear for his safety overwhelming her.

Charlie hushed her."Bells I am a big boy. I had no choice. I was at the hospital and well he was there. I didn't seek him out intentionally. Anyway I am telling you this because he revealed something to me and I thought you should know."

"What?" Bella asked tremulously.

"It seems that Cullen boy you encountered the other day has a bit of a...well he likes you. The head vamp seemed to think that you would actually be friends with his 'so called son.' Don't worry kiddo I set him straight." Charlie gave her a reassuring smile.

Bella got up from her seat and made her way around the table to her father. She flung her arms around him and gave him a rare hug. Charlie's face flushed red, but he couldn't help a pleased smile from forming on his lips. He patted Bella's hand. "It's alright kiddo. Your old man will look out for you."

"I know dad. I know." Bella whispered as she tried to hide the single tear that had escaped from her eyes.

XXXXXX

The night sky was clear and the moon was high in the sky, casting a weak light over Forks and la Push. Bella was restless, she tossed and turned in her bed, unable to get comfortable or relax. She did not want to admit it to herself but she was scared. She had not seen Jacob all day. He had been forced to attend another tribal meeting with all of the elders as they instructed him on how best to approach the Cullen's and what points from the treaty he needed to clarify to them. The meeting was for the next night and Bella was getting increasingly anxious.

A few minutes later a tapping noise on the window made her sit bolt upright in bed. She could feel at once who it was. Jacob must have sensed how much she needed him and he had come to her like he always did. Bella flung the covers back and ran to the window, shoving it open. She glanced down and saw Jake waving up at her, his white teeth gleamed in the dim light as he gave her one of his big grins.

"I'll open the back door." She whispered, knowing that he could hear. He nodded his head and disappeared to meet her there.

Bella crept quietly from her room and down the stairs. In seconds she had the back door open and was engulfed in one of Jacob's comforting bear hugs. "Did you miss me?" He murmured.

"Yes, so much. I have been so worried Jake."

"I could feel it. I am sorry I couldn't come earlier. The elders seem to think I am incapable of handling anything." His tone became irritated when he spoke about the tribal council.

Bella hugged him closer and laid her head on his bare chest. "They are just scared Jake. This is all so new. They just want to make sure you are fully prepared. I wish you didn't have to go."

Jacob had another growth spurt. He was now six foot two inches. Bella felt so short next to him. He chuckled at her irritated expression as she craned her neck to look up at him. Without warning he suddenly swept her up in his strong arms, Bella squealed with shock and he laughed again. "You have to keep quiet honey. Charlie will have a fit if he catches me here."

Bella closed her mouth and pretended to lock it and throw away the key. Jacob grinned at her again as he carried her up the stairs and into her room. His footfalls were so silent and he moved with a grace that belied his size. Jacob had packed on some serious muscle. He placed Bella gently on the bed as if she was made of porcelain and sat next to her.

"Can I stay here the night Bells...I just need to be with you. I know that Charlie has forbidden sleepovers but...I just really need to be with you right now." Jacob's dark eyes made Bella's heart melt. Opening her arms she wrapped them around him and rested her head on his chest again. His heart sounded loud to her ears as it was beating so fast.

Jacob lay back on her bed and pulled her with him. Her head was still resting on his chest and he ran one of his hands through her thick, brown hair. One of her fingers traced the defined muscles along his chest and he tried to keep a straight face as her touch was inducing all kinds of pleasant sensations through his body. She seemed to be totally unaware of his reaction to her. Jacob shifted around and spooned her against his side instead.

"Bells, can I ask you something?" He asked her tentatively.

Bell gazed up at him and nodded.

"Do you ever wonder about our...I mean I know how I feel, my dad keeps on about this imprinting crap, but I know that what I feel for you is genuine. I love you Bells." Jacob took her hand and placed it over his strongly beating heart. "You believe me right?"

Bella snuggled closer and pressed her hand onto his chest. "I know my own mind. I felt it as soon as I met you. We share some sort of connection, obviously, but I know that I loved you from the moment we met. I don't care what anyone else says."

Jacob smiled and pulled her closer. He placed his full lips on her forehead and kissed her gently. Bella closed her eyes in contentment and within seconds was fast asleep. It took Jacob a lot longer...

XXXXXX

The next night was upon them all before they had a chance to assimilate everything. Bella did not want Jacob to go and Leah was the same with Sam, both girls held on tight and had to be prised off by their respective parents. Charlie shook Jake's hand and wished him well. Sarah had tears in her eyes as she looked at her son. He was much more of man now than a boy. Inwardly she cursed the fact that he had to grow up so quickly.

"Jake, please be careful." Sarah beckoned for him to come closer and she pulled him in for a hug.

"Mom, don't worry I will be alright." Jake gave her a quick hug and then went back over to Bella.

Harry and Sue were fussing over Seth, who was getting increasingly annoyed with them. "Look mom, dad I will be fine. Jake said I had to stay right at the back anyway. "He said, shooting annoyed glances at Jacob.

Sue took her son's cheek in her hand and squeezed playfully. "Good, you are too young to be facing this type of thing."

Leah decided to come to her brother's aid. "Mom your embarrassing him, stop it. He has Sam, Jake, Quil and Embry with him."

Sue glared at her daughter. "He is my little boy, Lee. Allow me to fuss over him."

Harry pulled his wife to one side."Come on now Sue, Lee is right. We need to back off."

Sue grumbled a bit but could see his point. It did Seth no good, treating him like a baby in front of the pack. She backed off and gave him a small smile. Seth laughed suddenly and gave his mom and Leah a big hug. Sue smiled in triumph and Leah grimaced.

Billy was ignoring all this and just concentrated on Jacob. He knew what a big deal this meeting was and found nothing funny about it at all. He still wished that he could be there too, but he knew that Jake was right. He had to show the Cullen's he was in charge. He put his hand on Jake's shoulder and made his son look him in the eye.

"Are you sure about this Jake? Do you feel ready?"

Jacob felt Bella's hand in his own and he held on tightly. He drew his strength from her presence. "Yes." He stated clearly.

Billy nodded and gave him a weak smile. "I know I have said it before but I am proud of you son."

Jacob gave his parents a reassuring grin and pulled Bella close. "Stop worrying dad. I will be fine. We all will."

XXXXXX

The pack arrived at the designated meeting point to find that the Cullen's had already gathered there. Jacob was annoyed that they had beaten them to it. He quickly regained his composure, remembering his dad's words to reign in his temper. He needed to be professional about this. He, along with Sam, phased back into their human forms so that they could speak to the Cullen's directly.

The vamp leader, Carlisle Cullen introduced himself and began to reel off the names of the others. "This is my wife, Esme. This is Alice and her partner Jasper. The blonde lady is Rosalie and that is her partner Emmet. "

Jacob just nodded at each one in turn and waited for Carlisle to continue. Wasn't there another male that was part of this coven? The one who had laid hands on his Bells? Jacob glared over at Carlisle and watched the head vamp squirm. "I thought there were three other males besides you? Where is the other one? You said in your letter that you would all be here?"

Carlisle exchanged a worried glance with his partner, Esme. "Yes that is correct, but my other son Edward is missing. I believe he is just detained. There is no need to worry."

Jacob suddenly felt a sharp pain pierce his heart. He clutched at his chest and nearly blacked out. He staggered slightly and Sam managed to reach out and steady him. "What's wrong?"

Jacob's eyes were glazed, the pupils were black. "Bells, she is in trouble. I have to go."

Sam nodded. "GO. I will deal with this."

"Thanks Sam." Jacob disappeared into the covering trees and phased into his wolf form. All he could hear in his head was Bells screaming his name...

A/N-Thanks for reading...


	22. Chapter 22

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter, I really loved reading them all! I have spent today editing this chapter to get it out earlier as a thank you._

_Nikki _

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Eleven**

The beeping of the heart monitor matched every beat of Jacob's heart. He held on tightly to Bella's hand as he watched her face closely. Tear tracks streaked his face, dissolving the black soot marks that covered his cheeks. He wiped at them angrily with the back of his hand. His whole body felt sore and he checked the burn marks down his arm, which were now fading due to his quick healing ability. A nurse approached him.

"Look, Jake is it? You should really get them seen to. The young lady is not going to be waking up just yet. I have just checked on her father and he is still comatose. You should be proud of yourself; I heard you risked your own life to drag these two from the fire."

Jacob shook his head no. There was no way he could let any doctor or nurse examine him. He just wanted to be left alone with Bells. The nurse sighed and went over to write something on the clipboard hanging from the end of Bella's hospital bed.

"Oh by the way, I called the numbers you gave me. Your dad is on his way here right now, okay." The nurse patted his shoulder in sympathy as she passed. Jacob just nodded again in acknowledgement.

He leaned closer to Bella and whispered softly in her ear. "I know you can hear me honey. Please just wake up, please. You know how much I need you..."

There was no response, only the continual beeping of the heart monitor and the gentle rise and fall from her chest as she breathed with the aid of an oxygen mask.

XXXXXX

Jacob was dreaming, once again he was drawn back into the nightmare of searching for Bella and finding the Swan house on fire. The police cruiser was parked outside and he could hear Charlie's muffled shouts for help with his sensitive hearing. Jacob's heart felt heavy in his chest as he realised that Bella was in there too. What the hell were both of them doing back here? He had left them on the reservation; he had assumed that Bella and her dad would wait for his return. Why had they come back home?

Smoke was pouring out from under the door and through the open windows. Jacob did not think twice, he ran to the front door and kicked it in easily with his foot. The breath stealing smoke hit him at once as he entered the property. He dropped to the floor instinctively as the air was clearer. His eyes began to water as he crawled in the direction of the kitchen. He heard Charlie's hoarse cries for help, his voice now sounding a lot weaker. Within seconds, Jacob was by his side. He had no time to waste; he gripped Charlie under the arms and dragged him backwards toward the open front door. For the first time in his life he was grateful for the fact that being a spirit wolf gave him supernatural strength. Charlie was coughing and gasping for air. He had inhaled a fair amount of smoke. Jacob reached the front door and hauled Charlie up into his arms and out into the open air. Sirens could be heard wailing as the fire crews had arrived at last, along with the paramedics. Jacob looked down at Charlie quickly.

"Where is she? Upstairs? Nod for yes..." He asked him desperately, fear gripping his heart.

Charlie gasped again and gave him a quick jerk of his head. With the fire crew yelling after him to stay put, Jacob left Charlie with the paramedics and sprinted back into the house. The dense smoke blinded him once again as he crawled up the stairs on all fours. He held his breath, trying not to inhale any of the smoke. His connection to Bella pulled him in the right direction and he found her slumped on the floor of the bathroom unconscious. She had a spongebag in her hand; it seemed that she was packing some toiletries. He picked her up in his strong arms and cradled her against his body as he ran for the stairs; the smoke was now too dense. He could not get back out that way. His only chance now was through Bella's bedroom window. He made it to her room and, cradling her in one arm, he used the other to shove the window open.

"I've gotcha Bells, don't worry." He had whispered as he manoeuvred his body out first and then pulled her after him as they both dropped to the ground below. Jacob hit the ground first and took all of the impact, shielding Bells with his body; she had not uttered a sound the entire time...

A hand on his shoulder made him jerk awake. He lifted his head and met the concerned gaze of his father.

"Jake, I am so sorry..." Billy said softly. Hearing his dad's voice made Jake feel his true age and he held onto his dad as he finally let go and cried.

XXXXXX

_**Twenty four hours later...**_

Jacob sat across from Sam and Embry in the hospital waiting room. He had not left Bella's side the entire time she had been there. Sam and Embry had come to bring him some food and check on him.

"How is she?" Sam asked.

A relieved smile crossed Jacob's face as he recalled the moment when Bella had opened her chocolate brown eyes for the first time and tried to smile at him. "Okay, she can only whisper as her throat is very sore from all the smoke she inhaled. She has some superficial burn marks, but the doctor says she was lucky."

"Lucky that you were there bro, you mean. I dread to think what would have..." Embry stopped speaking when he saw a pained look cross his friend's face. "Sorry."

"What about Charlie?" Sam enquired, changing the subject.

"He's fine, been yelling at my dad and Harry to stop fussing over him like a couple of women." Jacob chuckled.

"Do you know what started the fire?" Embry questioned.

Jacob winced. "We don't know yet...electrical fault, maybe. There is going to be an investigation. Poor Charlie and Bella only went back there because my mom asked if they wanted to stay over. They went home to pack a change of clothes."

Sam and Embry exchanged glances. They hated having to talk pack business with Jake at a time like this, but he needed to be updated on the current situation with the Cullen's. Jake saw the look and sighed. "Come on, tell me. What happened after I left? Did the other leech show up?"

"Yes, weirdly just after you took off he suddenly put in an appearance. I can tell you now that the coven leader, Carlisle was extremely angry with him. He kept apologising to us about his so called 'sons' late arrival. He wanted to know if any of them could help in any way, but I told them to keep out of it." Sam informed him.

"What reason did he give for being late?"

"Nothing, "Sam ran his hand through his short hair."He wouldn't answer the head vamp's questions, just kept exchanging looks with the little pixie leech with the black hair. If you ask me I could have sworn it looked like they were communicating silently in some way. The pixie leech's partner snapped at her to stop it, whatever she was supposed to be doing. The guys and I were worried about you, so I formally ended the meeting for another day and took off after you and well..." His voice trailed off.

Jacob slumped back in his seat. "Do you think they have special abilities like the legends state? I mean apparently some leeches have powers that the other's don't."

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. We need to set up another face to face meeting with them. Has the head vamp been in the hospital while you have been here?"

"No, perhaps he is staying out of my way or more likely Charlie's; they had a run in the day before."

Embry gave Jake a sympathetic smile. "We're sorry to dump all this on you Jake. I know you have enough to deal with right now."

"Well at least I will be able to keep a close eye on Bells when she gets out. She and Charlie are going to be staying with us until they get something else sorted." Jacob said.

Embry snorted with laughter. "I bet you're gonna love that."

Jacob gave Embry a dirty look. "I need to get back to Bells, see you guys later."

XXXXXX

Bella was sitting up in bed, the nurse was doing routine checks on her, assessing whether she was now fit enough to leave the hospital. Jacob was collecting some clothes for her and Charlie, kindly donated by Leah and Harry. He would be returning with his dad to collect them both. Her father was going through the same checks on another ward. Bella was getting impatient, she wanted to go and see her dad.

"Almost finished, Isabella, "The nurse said kindly.

A tall, blonde haired doctor appeared as the nurse checked Bella's blood pressure. Bella glanced up and bit on her lip anxiously as she took in the pale skin and golden eyes of the leader of the Cullen clan. So this was Carlisle? He gave her an encouraging smile and approached her cautiously. Bella shrank back against the hospital bed, panic rising in her chest.

"I'll finish up here Karen, why don't you have your break?" Carlisle gave the nurse a blinding smile, Bella could see the red blush adorning the other woman's cheek.

"Thank you Doctor Cullen that is so nice of you." The nurse said a swift goodbye to Bella and left the room.

"How are you my dear?" Carlisle asked her as he scribbled some notes on her chart.

"You shouldn't be here..." Bella's voice trembled as she spoke.

Carlisle gave her his most understanding expression. "It's okay I promise I mean you no harm at all, none of my family do. We just want to live in peace here that's all. Edward especially feels concerned about your wellbeing. He would like to pay you a quick visit if that is agreeable to you. He was most upset when he heard what had happened."

All Bella could see were Carlisle's golden eyes, his soothing hypnotic voice made her feel at ease. She found herself agreeing to his request. "That's extremely kind of you. Edward, she will see you now." He called out.

Edward Cullen slipped silently into the room and gave Bella one of his crooked smiles. "Hello Bella, it's nice to see you. Thanks for seeing me. I just wanted to make sure you were alright, I was frantic when I heard about the fire..."

XXXXXX

Seth entered the hospital corridor leading to Bella's room and froze. The leech stink emanating from the room was so strong and it made him want to gag. The urge to phase made his limbs begin to tremble; he listened carefully as he recognised the voice of the coven leader Carlisle and his so called son. What on earth were they doing here near Bella? Seth had come to visit because he wanted to try and get Bella to confess to Jacob about what had happened at her school. Now it seemed the same leech had dared to invade her room. Without thinking Seth marched into the room and shoved the door open.

Bella was sitting up in bed, a glassy look in her eyes which were riveted on the bronze haired leech. The coven leader turned and stared over at Seth, an annoyed expression crossing his smooth features briefly. The other leech glared over at Seth in irritation.

"It is polite to knock when you enter a room. Do you always barge in like this?" The leech, who had been harassing Bella, scowled at Seth as he spoke.

"Edward..." Carlisle reprimanded him.

Bella seemed to finally come out of her trance and when she recognised Seth, she held out her hands to him. "Sethy, come here."

Seth glared fiercely at the two vampires and went straight over to Bella, sitting next to her protectively. "Get out."

Edward exchanged an exasperated glance with Carlisle. "That is up to Bella, not you."

Bella began to shiver again, she edged closer to Seth. "Please just leave. I want you both to leave."

Carlisle grabbed hold of Edward's arm just as he was about to speak." Of course my dear, if that is what you want. Come, Edward."

A frown crossed Edward's pale face and he shot Seth a dark look before he left with Carlisle. Once they were gone Bella put her head on Seth's shoulder and began to weep softly. He put his arm round her and let her cry.

"You have to tell Jacob Bella, please. This has gone too far now." Seth pleaded with her.

"Yes I will tell Jake, I should have done so in the first place." Bella finally agreed.

Seth breathed a sigh of relief. He was glad that things were going to be out in the open at last, even if Jake had a go about his part in keeping the secret.

"I want to go and see my dad Seth. We can wait for Jake and Billy to pick us up there."

"Okay...let me help you up." Seth assisted Bella up from the bed; her legs were still a bit wobbly after her encounter with the Cullen's. He kept his arm round her as he walked with her to see Charlie.

_A/N-Thanks for reading!_


	23. Chapter 23

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-__**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH**__ for all of the wonderful reviews that you have all left on this story. I have read and loved them all. It has kept me really motivated! Nikki :)_

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Twelve**

Bella looked at herself in the wardrobe mirror. She was dressed in some of Leah's clothes, the legs on the jeans were too long, so she had rolled them up, and the t-shirt hung on her slender frame. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she remembered the panicky feeling she experienced when the fire had taken hold. She remembered trying to get to her dad as she heard him calling for her. All the doors to the house had been locked and Charlie had not been able to get out. The smoke had overwhelmed them both before aid arrived, if it had not been for Jacob...Bella closed down her thoughts. There was no point on dwelling on what could have been.

A gentle knock on the bedroom door roused her out of her stupor. "Bells, honey are you alright?" Jacob's concerned voice made her heart melt.

"Come in Jake..."

Jacob opened the door to his sister's room and edged his way in. He looked Bella up and down and grinned. "Leah's clothes swamp you. She is so much taller."

Bella flapped the sleeves of the borrowed shirt. "Just a bit..."

"Are you really okay Bells, I mean I can sense how worried you are..." Jacob said his tone gentle.

Bella bit her lip and tried to smile back at him, but her lips trembled and more tears leaked out of her eyes. "I was so scared Jake, I didn't know what to do and I was calling for you, if you hadn't saved me and my dad I...Oh Jake."

Jacob pulled Bella into his arms and held her tight. She pressed her face to his bare chest and listened to the strong beat of his heart. She closed her eyes and counted the rhythm. She still had not felt able to broach the subject of the Cullen's with him. She had promised Seth that she would, but she did not want to shatter the fragile peace they had found together. However once again, Jake could sense her inner turmoil. He placed a finger under her chin and pulled her head up so that she had to look at him.

"Tell me Bells. I can tell you are fretting about something."

Bella sighed as she looked into his dark eyes. "Yeah I have not told you everything Jake. Please don't be angry at me or Seth...I just thought you had enough to deal with."

"Bells stop worrying about me, I can take it. Please don't ever think you can't confide in me." Jacob whispered, he brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face.

Bella nodded and pushed on his chest slightly so he had to release her. She walked over to one of the twin beds and sat down on it. Jacob watched her curiously. "It's about the Cullen boy, the one who I met that one time in the school."

Jacob frowned as he saw her swallow nervously and begin to fidget. "What about him?" His voice was steely.

"Dr Cullen came to see me when I was getting checked over by the nurse to see if I was well enough to be discharged."

"HE WHAT, they are not supposed to come near you again." Jacob's eyes had become darker as his anger at the Cullen's flared.

Bella flinched at his tone and hung her head. "I know, please don't be mad Jake, I was..."

Jacob managed to get himself under control and he went to sit next to her on the bed, putting his arm around her shoulders. "No, I'm sorry Bells. It's just the thought of them creatures going near you when I am not there...tell me everything."

Bella laid her head on his shoulder and continued to speak. "I first saw him again when I went to school to collect my books. I came across him in the science lab unexpectedly. He tried to approach me but I fled..."

"Seth was meant to be looking out for you, what the hell was he doing while this was going on?" Jacob said fiercely.

Bella put a hand on his chest and her touch once again calmed him. "Jake he couldn't help it; the stupid school secretary wouldn't let him come with me. She made him stay where she could see him. I was only going to drop off some stuff, I had no idea he would be in there."

"Seth should still have informed me when it happened. I will be having a serious talk with him when..."

"I asked him not too Jacob, are you not listening to me. I didn't want you worried." Bella snapped.

Jake ran his free hand through his hair in frustration. "I know that, but Bella you keeping stuff like this from me makes my job harder, you have to understand that. Seth needs to learn that lesson too."

Bella hung her head. "You're right...I should have said something straight away. I saw him again at the hospital. The doctor asked me if I would see his son and...well this is the strange part, because I seriously don't remember agreeing, but apparently I said yes."

Jacob became very still when he heard her admission. A sick feeling was swirling in his gut, Bella felt his feeling of dread communicating itself to her and she stared up at him. "Jake, what's wrong? I can feel your worry..."

He hugged her closer and kissed the top of her hair. "Bells do you remember anything about what any of the leeches said to you after he came into the room?"

"No...The next thing I remember is Sethy coming in." Bella admitted softly.

Over the top of her head, Jacob's pupils became darker as he realised the stunt the Cullen's had tried to pull. If it hadn't been for Seth interrupting their attempt to influence Bella in some way, who knows what, could have happened? He needed to keep calm however and talk to his dad. It seemed that the Cullen's may have just broken one of the rules of the treaty.

XXXXXX

Seth knew he was in serious shit when he heard Jacob's voice in his head commanding that he return home. He had been avoiding most of the pack for the last few hours. He felt ashamed of his part in hiding things about the Cullen's and Bella. He had been an idiot and even though he was worried about what Jake would say, he knew he deserved punishment for letting his Alpha down. He had entrusted him with Bella's safety and he had blown it, twice.

He did an about turn and loped back in the direction of the Black house, he set a steady pace and it did not take him long to arrive. He phased back swiftly and pulled on the shorts attached to a leather tie on his leg. Taking a deep breath, Seth strode quickly over to the house where he could see Jacob standing outside, arms crossed and eyes dark with anger.

"Get inside..." was all Jake said in greeting. Seth hung his head and complied at once.

XXXXXX

Rachel gently dabbed a damp cloth over Jared's forehead. He was so hot that the sweat of his fever was literally dripping from him. She had been nursing him for the last two hours, attempting to play the doting girlfriend. The truth was she had little patience for sick people and was struggling to remain pleasant. Even though he felt really rough, Jared couldn't help but chuckle at her obvious discomfort.

"I dunno princess. This must mean you really love me. I know how much you hate it."He teased her.

"Stop calling me princess and I don't do 'love 'remember? This is just a casual fling, don't forget." Rachel replied irritably.

Jared frowned, irritated that she was still denying how she felt about him. "If you say so, princess."

Rachel scowled and hit him on the arm hard; she only ended up hurting herself however. "Jeez, you're muscles are rock hard Jared...that hurt."

Jared did not respond as pain shot through his whole body. Rachel began to panic as he rolled off the side of the bed and hit the floor hard. Suddenly his body began to jerk and he groaned as if he was in agony. Rachel bent down on all fours and tried to help him up; he grabbed hold of her hand and gazed at her, his touch burned.

"Rachel, what's happening to me babe?" He begged her, his pupils were dilated.

Rachel brushed his sweat soaked hair back from his face. "Try to stand; I need to get some help."

Jared managed to get up on his feet and with Rachel's help he staggered out of his room. "I need some air Princess, I feel too hot."

"Are you sure that's a good idea Jared?"

"Please..."

"Okay, let me open the front door." Rachel left him for a second while she unlocked the front door.

Cold air wafted in from outside and Jared made his way over to it. It cooled his feverish skin slightly and he stumbled his way out into the open. He caught sight of the dense forest surrounding his large house and a sudden yearning to run for the trees overtook him. It was only Rachel's cool hand that stopped him. He turned to her and tried to smile but a sharp pain made him bend over. He clutched his stomach and he fell to the ground again, his limbs trembling badly.

Rachel ran to him and tried to catch hold of his hand, he managed to shove her away, and he rolled to the side as his vision blurred and his whole world exploded. Rachel's screams ringing in his ears.

XXXXXX

Jacob was berating Seth for his part in keeping information about the Cullen's from him, when they both instinctively knew that another person had phased. Bella came running out of the twins room as she felt Jacob's shock course through her.

"Bells stay in the house. My mom is with Sue, can you call her and get her to contact my dad. Someone else has phased." Jacob informed her quickly.

"Yeah, go Jake. I will be fine honestly. I swear I will not leave this house." She promised him as she saw him hesitate.

Jacob felt torn. He glanced at Seth. Could he trust him again to look after her properly this time? He really did not have a choice. At least she was safely on the res. "Seth stay with her and do not let me down."

"I promise Jake. You can trust me this time." Seth vowed.

Jake nodded at him and gave Bella a quick hug before bolting from the house and phasing as soon as he was outside.

XXXXXX

It was chaos in the pack mind as Jared's panic and fear hit Jacob with full force. He howled a warning and it was only a few seconds later that he felt Sam, Embry and Quil phase in.

"Sam, you know Jared better than I do, speak to him and try to calm him down." Jacob ordered.

Sam complied at once and he ran in the direction that Jared was running in to try and head him off. Jared was projecting all kinds of images into their heads, but the one that stood out was Jake's sister, Rachel, screaming just at the point when he phased.

"My sister was with him, shit. I need to go to her. Quil go and help Sam. Embry, come with me." Jacob commanded. Fluidly they all did as they were asked.

They retraced Jared's steps back to his house and both phased back into their human forms at the edge of the tree line. Yanking on his shorts, Jake was the first to break cover, Embry following close behind. He did not want to alarm his sister any further by appearing in his wolf form. They scouted around the immediate area and finally found Rachel huddled up in a ball, crying. Jacob went over to her and gently touched her arm.

"Rach it's okay, it's just me." Jacob said softly as she screamed again in fright.

"Jacob...Jared...he...I don't..." Rachel's eyes were wide with panic and she was shaking.

"I know you're scared Rach but Jared will be alright. I need you to go back to the house, Embry will take you. Bella is there waiting, she will explain a few things until I get back."

Rachel did not seem to hear him as she was in full panic mode. Embry lifted her up easily into his arms and nodded at Jake. "I'll take her back and then rejoin you."

Jacob sighed and agreed. He gave one last look back at his sister and then headed for the trees.

A/N-Thanks for reading!


	24. Chapter 24

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-There is going to be a lot revealed in this chapter, so read very carefully. I hope it all makes sense. I have tried my best to make it understandable. Not all of the plot points have been revealed yet, so bear with me. Thanks. Nikki _

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Thirteen**

Charlie sat at his desk at work and stared at the paperwork that had piled up during his short absence. He had just been on the phone to the fire investigation team who were still no closer to giving him a conclusive answer on what had started the fire. An electrical fault had been ruled out and they were now leaning toward the fact it could have been deliberate. The doors to the house had been locked. Charlie was adamant that was not the case. It must be someone with a grudge against him, although he could not pinpoint who.

Taking the top file from the huge pile he began to read to take his mind off of things. A few minutes passed when the internal line rang. "Chief Swan," He said automatically.

"Sir I have a visitor for you." His deputy informed him.

"Who is it?"

"Dr Carlisle Cullen..."

Charlie nearly dropped the phone. What the hell was that creature doing here? Had he not made himself clear the last time they spoke? He pondered what to do for a moment and then decided to just hear Cullen out. "Send him in."

"Yes sir." His deputy ended the call.

Carlisle entered the office silently. He was dressed immaculately in a reserved suit and tie. He held out his hand for Charlie to shake, but he ignored the gesture.

"What do you want?" Charlie didn't bother with formalities.

Carlisle sat across from Charlie and gazed at him with his piercing golden eyes. "I have come to tell you the whole truth about why my family and I have returned to the area Chief Swan. I was hoping that it would not have to come to this; we wanted to spare you and your daughter a few years of worry. We were hoping to make friends with you so that we could keep a close watch over you, but it seems that your mistrust of us has made this extremely difficult. So after talking things through I thought it best to be upfront with you."

Charlie glared over at the doctor, one of his hands wandered to his empty holster and he cursed in his head that he had left his gun in the gun safe. "What the hell do you mean? Why should I believe a word you say?"

Carlisle leaned forward and met Charlie's glare. "Because if you don't then you, the wolf pack and your friends from the reservation will all die and your daughter, she will be turned into a vampire and be enslaved. Now are you ready to hear what I have to say?"

Charlie slumped back in his chair as he took in Carlisle's words. He took a moment to regain control over his emotions and then nodded. "Tell me...tell me everything."

Carlisle gave him a small smile. "Thank you. I understand your mistrust of us but I assure you we mean you no harm, we only ever wanted to keep you all safe. Now, what I am about to tell you may sound unbelievable, but I need you to listen carefully, your friends and the alpha of the wolf pack need to be prepared for what is coming..."

XXXXXX

Rachel had shut herself in her room. Bella had tried to explain things but she had refused to listen. Once Embry had left to rejoin Jacob and the others, she had headed for her room and ignored the other girl's pleas. She was sick of Bella, Jake and her whole family. They had lied to her; left her in the dark about what was really going on. She was always the last to know. She had let her guard down with Jared, but she was not going to make the mistake of trusting anyone again.

Rummaging through her draws, Rachel pulled out the scrap bit of paper she was searching for. She grabbed her cell phone and dialled the number scrawled across it. It was answered after one ring.

"Rachel at last, I thought you would never call..."Rebecca's voice echoed down the line.

"Becca something awful has happened. I can't stay here anymore." Rachel began to cry after hearing her twin's voice after so long apart.

"Hush Rach it's okay. I told you in that letter I sent that our family are nothing but a bunch of liars. I have found a new life, a much better one and you can join me if you want. I still care about you Rach, even though you betrayed me." Rebecca replied smoothly.

"I never betrayed you Becca, you left without a word. Mom was devastated."

"I don't care about them. I have a whole new family now. I am in Forks Rach, not too far from you. I have had to keep a low profile but I knew that you would call."

"How?" Rachel whispered.

Rebecca gave a tinkling laugh. "Oh sister you have no idea. Let me tell you that there are a lot of things in this life that you can't imagine. I tried to get rid of that intruder Bella and her dad, but our brother just had to get in the way. He puts her above his own family. They don't care about you Rach, you can see that now right. Come meet me and we can be together again, just like old times."

Rachel's hand trembled as she heard her sister's confession. "That was you?"

"Oh yes, I managed to hide my scent of course. My new family have taught me well. Come meet me Rach please. I promise you will have powers beyond your imagination." Rebecca wheedled.

Rachel felt sick to her stomach as she heard her twin speak. What the hell had happened to her? "Becca someone is coming. I will call you back okay." She bluffed.

"Okay, hurry though Rach, I won't be in the area for much longer."

"Goodbye Beck." Rachel murmured.

The line went dead...

XXXXXX

Jacob was tired, every bone in his body ached. Dealing with a very distressed Jared had been a lot harder than he expected. None of the others had taken so long to calm down and phase back. It had a lot to do with the fact that Jared was under the impression he had hurt Rachel. It had taken a lot of coercion from Jacob and Sam before he believed that Rachel was alright, just a bit shocked by his transformation. After two hours of torturous negotiation, Jared finally phased back into his human form and followed them toward the Black house to get some much needed rest and some food.

Rest was not going to be theirs for the night. A grim faced Charlie and Billy greeted the returning pack as they entered the house. Jacob went straight over to Bella, who was comforting a visibly distressed Rachel. Jared hovered by the door, worry etching his face. Seth had quickly brought a spare pair of Jacob's shorts to pull on before he entered the house.

"Rachel...I'm..." Jared's voice faded as Rachel suddenly jumped from the sofa and flew into his arms.

"I don't care. I am just glad you are alright, please don't leave me Jared. I need you, please..." Rachel begged.

After recovering from his shock that she still actually wanted anything to do with him Jared pulled her into a tight hug. "Princess you know how I feel about you. You were the one insisting it meant nothing."

Rachel buried her face in his chest. "I was lying, I love you Jared."

Jared ignored the room full of watching eyes and whispered in her ear. "I love you too Rachel Black."

Over on the sofa, Bella exchanged a happy smile with Jake. At least one disaster was averted. Their attention returned to their father's who were still looking stern. Their smiles faded. Whatever it was that the two men had to reveal couldn't be good.

"Dad what is it?" Jacob asked.

Billy exchanged a look with Charlie and sighed. "Son, I need all of you to sit down and listen. Charlie had a visit from Dr Cullen today and he revealed a few things you all need to hear. It seems we have all been under a misapprehension."

That got everyone's attention. Jacob pulled Bella closer to him; he needed to make sure she was really there. So much had happened to separate them lately and he yearned for their younger days when it was just the two of them without all the worry and drama.

"What lies have the Cullen's fed you now? Are you really sure they are telling the truth?" Jacob demanded.

Billy regarded his son and Bella and his heart felt heavy."Yes, after what Charlie has told me I do believe them. It explains why you phased so early..."

This caught Jacob's attention. He felt Bella shift beside him and he pulled her onto his lap and she nestled closer. "Go on, tell us everything..."

"Chief...you spoke to him; I will let you tell them what he revealed." Billy said to his old friend.

Charlie nodded. He looked over at his daughter and sighed. "Bells I need you not to panic alright. This is something that is not going to happen overnight. The doctor has given us a good head start okay."

Jacob clutched onto Bella tighter as he felt her tremble. "Would you just spit it out?" He snapped.

"Jake...calm down." Billy warned.

"It's okay Billy. Look I need you all to listen then we can talk afterwards. Agreed?" He gazed around the room looking for any dissenters, he found none.

Charlie cleared his throat and began his speech. "The head vamp told me the real reason he and his family have returned to Forks. They have come here to offer their protection to us as a repayment for the kindness shown by the previous wolf pack in allowing them to coexist together the last time they resided here. Dr Cullen is a few centuries old; he has existed a lot longer than most of his family. When he was younger he resided with a group of vampires known as the Volturi, they are like the leech police, and they guard the existence of vampires religiously from human eyes. Anyone violating their rules gets destroyed."

"He lived with them for over a decade and got to know their ways very well, however the way they lived their lives disgusted him and he left after a while to strike out on his own. Over time he met and made his own family. He has kept in touch with the leaders of the Volturi as they were very fond of him apparently. They contacted him recently to advise that they had encountered a young girl from La Push, she had been turned by a nomad vampire after she had run away. They travelled together for a while before ending up in Italy where the Volturi have lived for centuries in a place called Volterra. One of the leaders has a special gift; he can read every thought a person has ever had, merely by touching them. This young girl was a source of information for them, she had been told tribal legends her whole life about the spirit wolves and their treaty with the Cullen's. "

"The Volturi have a huge hatred for werewolves. They fear them like no other. The Volturi knew that Carlisle had lived in this area once. They demanded that he and his family return here to spy and pass back information. As I said earlier it was Carlisle's intentions to befriend Bella to ascertain as much information as they could to thwart the Volturi's plans. They thought as Edward Cullen was the same age supposedly that he would be the best chance they had without revealing everything, but Bella's connection to Jake has ruined their original plan. They wanted to give us a few years of peace before having us worry about the impending future. Vampire's have no conception of time as they live so long. Alice, one of the coven, has the ability to see the future and she has been monitoring the Volturi's decisions and she has not yet seen anything. "

The room remained silent after Charlie's long speech. Jacob was holding onto Bella for dear life and the others sat around, completely stunned. Rachel was the first to speak.

"The young girl from La Push, you mean my sister Becca don't you?" She said softly.

Billy felt tears prick his eyes as his daughter spoke. He nodded at her and he saw her flinch. Jared had his arms wrapped around her.

"There is something else you all should know..." Rachel confessed.

All eyes turned in her direction. She snuggled closer to Jared. "Becca contacted me a while ago asking me to call her. I was so upset after Jared phased today that I finally did. She is near here, in Forks apparently. She is the one who set fire to Bella and Charlie's house. Becca is the vampire who betrayed us all. My sister is the reason we are all in trouble now."

A/N-Thanks for reading!


	25. Chapter 25

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-A big _**THANK YOU**_ to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter, I have read and cherished them all! Sends hugs, Nikki

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Fourteen**

Silence reigned in the Black's house as each of them tried to take in the news. Rachel had begun to cry after revealing her talk with Rebecca; Jared had taken her out of the room to calm her down. Seth, Embry, Quil and Sam sat awkwardly around the room, not knowing what to do. Jacob had his arms wrapped tightly around Bella, a devastated look on his face. Bella seemed in a state of shock. To hear that Rebecca was the one who had set fire to her house had immobilised her, and then to have to try and get to grips with the news that the Cullen's had just dumped on them was the last straw.

Sam motioned for the other's to follow him outside to give Jake and his family some space. Once out of earshot they all began to discuss what had just been revealed to them.

"I can't believe that Becca is...it just does not seem possible..." Quil whispered to the others.

"She always had a vicious streak. " Seth replied. "Remember that cruel trick she pulled on you Em, the day you phased."

Embry grimaced as he recalled how frightened he had been back then. "Yeah she was always an evil witch. It seems being turned has made her even worse. I have no idea how Jake and Bella must be feeling right now."

Seth turned as if to walk back inside. He couldn't bear the thought of Bella being upset and wanted to check on her. Sam grabbed his arm and yanked him back. "Where the hell are you going? We need to give them space."

"I just want to check on Bella..." Seth said without thinking. The other's exchanged knowing looks, they were all well aware of Seth's crush.

"Dude they don't need you barging in. Bella has Jake, back off." Quil stated bluntly.

Seth shrugged off Sam's hold and glared at Quil. He stalked off and was just about to phase when he saw his dad's truck pull up. He was accompanied by his mom and Sarah Black. He froze as he saw Jacob's mom laughing at something his mom had said. His heart plummeted. Poor Sarah, she still didn't know about her daughter who had been missing for so long. He turned back and rejoined the others. Sam smiled at him in sympathy.

"Shit Sam, I just hate all this..." Seth said his voice heavy with sadness.

"We know Seth, "Sam sighed. "All we can do is support Jake and Bella."

Seth nodded and watched his parents help Sarah out of the truck and into her wheelchair. He wished that the poor woman could enjoy a few more moments of peace before her world was shattered once again...

XXXXXX

The house was empty. Billy sat across from his wife Sarah and held her hands as she cried. The others had left them alone so that they could have some privacy when Billy told his wife. Jacob, Bella and Charlie had relocated to the Clearwater's for the night. Rachel was with Jared at his house.

"She...my Becca did that? She hates her own family that much?" Sarah questioned her husband as tears continued to leak out of her eyes. "Was I such a bad mother to her?"

Billy knelt down in front of her and embraced her gently. She laid her head on his shoulders and soaked his shirt with her tears. "We did nothing wrong Sarah. We loved that girl just like we do Rachel and Jacob. The doctor told Charlie that it was always in Becca's nature, when they are turned their most prominent personality traits are enhanced. You know she had a wicked streak sometimes and she was always a jealous person if she was not the centre of attention. WE did everything we could for her while she lived with us."

"I must have let her down in some way. She carries our blood Billy. What happened to our little girl?"

"The Becca we once knew is dead Sarah. This thing that she has become is not the same person. You have to separate the two of them."

Sarah became still in his arms momentarily. Billy pulled away slightly and gazed at his wife. "What is it?" He asked in concern as he saw her frowning.

"Rachel said that Becca is still in Forks. I want to see her Billy."

"You can't be serious Sarah? She is a vampire now. She is no longer the young girl you used to know." He said in surprise.

"She is our daughter Billy Black and I want her to look me in the eye and tell me what the hell she was thinking." Sarah shouted in anger.

Billy stood up and began to pace the room. "No way, I won't allow it."

Sarah rolled her chair forward and stared up at her tall husband. "I need closure Billy. I have been so worried about what could have happened to that girl and now that I know...I need to see her, even if it is for the last time. Rachel has spoken to her, we can arrange a meeting. Don't you want to ask her why Billy?"

Billy hunkered back down in front of her and placed his hand on her cheek. "You really want to do this?"

"I need to do this, please." Sarah pleaded.

"Okay then. I will ask Rachel to contact her and, even though it pains me to ask them, I think the Cullen's should be there too. If she kicks off we need someone who understands what she is." Billy replied, reluctance clear in his voice.

Sarah nodded her agreement and she rested her head back on Billy's chest. "Thank you," She whispered softly. Above her head, where she couldn't see, a single tear ran down her husband's face.

XXXXXX

Their suggestion was greeted with total disbelief by everyone involved. The only other person on their side was Sue, a mother herself. She knew that if it had been either Seth or Leah, she would have wanted to do the same. After a long debate with all the pack and elders, it was finally agreed that Sarah could have her wish. Rachel very reluctantly called her twin and a meeting was set up for that night. The Cullen's had been surprised to be asked for their help, but did not hesitate to assist in any way that they could.

A neutral territory was decided upon. Rachel had asked Becca to meet her in Forks, outside the diner. Rebecca had been delighted to hear from her twin and had regaled her with tales about the fantastic life she was now leading and the friends, who were like family, which she now travelled with. Rachel had been in tears when she came off of the phone and it had taken Jared an age to console her.

"Mom, I still think this is a bad idea." Jacob said again. He was not happy about the fact that the Cullen's were going to be in the vicinity. He still did not fully trust them, especially the one who had laid hands on Bella.

Bella gently laid her hand on Jacob's arm. "Jake, your mom needs to do this. The wolf pack, your dad and the Cullen's will all be there."

Jacob sighed. He pulled Bella into his arms and rested his head on top of hers. "Promise me you will stay here with Seth, Leah and Rachel. Don't leave the house."

"I promise, I know what is at stake Jacob. Don't worry about me, your mom and dad need you?"

Jacob looked at his parents, especially his mom. She had a determined expression on her face. She really needed to do this. "I know you're right. I always worry about you."

Bella squeezed him tightly. "Like I do you, just be careful."

"Always honey, always..." Jacobs promised.

XXXXXX

Carlisle Cullen stood a good distance from Billy Black; he could sense how uncomfortable the other man was being so close to him. "You have to understand Chief Black that your daughter will be radically different from the girl you used to know. Her eyes will be red for one and...Like I told Chief Swan, her personality traits will be enhanced. Unfortunately in her case..."

"Yes I know... Charlie already told me that she has given in to her darker side." Billy snapped.

Carlisle did not appear in the least fazed by Billy's harsh tone. "My family and I will keep out of the way, Alice has seen that your d...I mean Rebecca will not be alone. She plans to take Rachel and get her to join her..."

Billy flinched when he heard this. "So this Alice can see the future?"

"No, not quite, she only sees the possible future outcomes of an individual's decision at any one time. A person changes their mind, her visions of that future change. At the present time, Rebecca is set on getting her twin to join her. I know this must be difficult for you and your wife, but it has provided us with a unique opportunity to capture and destroy the individuals who turned Rebecca and gave your secret away." Carlisle advised.

Billy felt bile rise in his throat. "What will happen to Becca?"

"We hope to capture her and send her to our friends in Denali. They live the way we do. Hopefully if she is separated from the evil influence of these other vampires, she can be shown a better path."

"Why are you helping us?" Billy asked again.

Carlisle turned his gaze onto his wife, Esme who was waiting patiently next to the others. "When we first lived here, your ancestors could have easily torn us apart. The alpha of the last wolf pack came upon my wife hunting, he showed her mercy that day and chose to listen to us and accept that we were not like most of our kind. I owe you all a huge debt of gratitude, she is my life. If something had happened to her that day, well do I need to go on?"

Billy finally met the golden eyed gaze of Carlisle Cullen. "I understand...and thank you."

Carlisle nodded once and gave Billy a half smile before returning to his family.

XXXXXX

Jacob and Sam were half hidden in the surrounding trees when they smelt the first sign of leech stink. The diner was located close to the forest's edge, which provided good cover for the pack. Seconds later the mirror image of Rachel Black appeared out into the open. Jacob had to hold back a growl when he saw her piercing red eyes light the darkness. She was followed by three scruffy looking individuals, two men and a woman with pale skin and vivid red hair. One of the men was dark skinned and had long dreadlocks which blew back in the cool breeze.

"Where is your sister?" The other male demanded harshly. He had long hair tied back in a pony tail and was wearing a leather jacket and scruffy jeans. All of them had bare feet.

"She will be here. Rach won't let me down again." Rebecca's eyes roamed around the immediate area.

"I can't smell anything but a rotten dog smell." The woman with red hair whined.

"You never stop moaning do you Victoria?" Rebecca snapped.

"Are you going to let her speak to me like that James?" The woman called Victoria yelled.

"Shut up Vicki. I am trying to listen..." He stopped speaking when he saw three figures emerge out into the open.

Rebecca gasped in surprise as she caught sight of her parents, accompanied by her brother Jacob. She took in how tall and muscular he was. There was no sign of the young boy she used to know. He glared at her intimidatingly, flexing his muscles. His once warm brown eyes were now dark as he stared over at her. He stood in front of their parent's protectively.

"What the hell is going on here?" The dark skinned vampire shrieked. "Your sister has betrayed you."

Suddenly all three vampires whirled round as the Cullen's emerged from the trees. They surrounded the other vampires instantly and dragged them away from the scene and back into the surrounding forest. Minutes later, muffled screams could be heard emanating in the open air. Rebecca made an attempt to run, but more dark shapes appeared out of the trees, as the wolf pack surrounded her completely. She had nowhere to go. She growled and her white, venom soaked teeth glistened in the dark night.

"What do you want with me? Where is Rachel?" She screamed at her parents.

Sarah wheeled her chair forward, accompanied closely by Billy. Jacob kept in front of them. "I want to know what has happened to my little girl. What did we ever do that was so bad that you have done this to us?" She yelled back at her daughter.

Rebecca became still as for the first time in ages she faced her mother...

A/N-I am so tired after writing that. Thanks for reading!


	26. Chapter 26

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I have tried to reply personally to each review for the last chapter but it won't allow me as I keep getting error messages, sorry! Nikki **_

**PART TWO-GROWING UP**

**Part Sixteen**

Rebecca became very still, as she did not need to draw breath she became like a statue as she glared over at the woman who had given her life. Sarah was breathing heavily as she matched her stare. She vowed not to speak until her daughter did so first. She felt Billy place his hand on her shoulder and seconds later Jake placed his hand over hers and held on tightly. Sarah drew strength from the two men in her life and she calmed herself down enough to await Rebecca's reaction.

After another minute passed Rebecca finally moved, the screams from her companions had died down to nothing and a burning smell blew her way. The Cullen's had destroyed her new family and burned their remains. She opened her mouth and screamed in agony at the loss and fell to her knees, yanking at the ends of her long, shiny black hair. Her parents and brother watched her in horror as she began to tear chunks of hair from her head.

"Becca stop it, please stop." Sarah could not take it anymore. She cursed her useless legs, which made her unable to comfort her little girl in her obvious distress. Her motherly instinct overrode her distaste at what her daughter had become.

Rebecca, stop it right now." Billy stepped toward her and knelt beside her. He caught hold of her upper arms and shuddered as he felt how cold she was, like a corpse.

Rebecca gave out a loud curse and pushed her father away hard, causing him to stumble and hit the ground with a loud thud. Jacob was immediately in her face as he ran over and shoved her backward just as hard. His anger at the situation overwhelmed him, the fact that this creature his sister had become had endangered Bells' life made his sympathy for her dissipate, he could see no trace of the girl he once knew, to him she was just another leech.

"Lay your hands on my father again and I will not hesitate to destroy you." He seethed.

Rebecca showed her glistening teeth and bared them at him. "I would like to see you try, brother...I could just as easily sink my fangs into you and kill you..."

Sarah trembled in her wheelchair as she heard her children threatening each other. Adrenaline surged through her body and she willed her legs to move. To her shock she felt one of her legs jerk, for the first time in years the signals from her brain were reaching her deadened limbs. Everyone's attention was on Rebecca and Jacob as they faced off against each other. The wolf pack was circling closer around them all, instinctively drawing nearer their alpha to protect him against any sudden attack.

Gritting her teeth in determination, Sarah pushed on the arms of her chair and with trembling arms she pushed herself upright. Her whole body shook with the immense effort it took for her to move but determination won out and Sarah Black finally stood up on her own two feet.

"Rebecca please...stop this now, I still love you...you are my little girl..." Sarah yelled out as Rebecca began the vampire's dance which indicated an attack. Jacob's limbs were shaking as he got ready to phase and protect himself.

All eyes turned in Sarah's direction as she spoke and they couldn't believe the sight before them as she staggered on her own two feet toward her errant daughter, her arms held out in front of her.

"Mom..." Jacob said in wonder.

"Sarah..." Billy echoed him.

Sarah had eyes only for Rebecca and she staggered toward her another few steps before her strength gave out and she began to fall. Jacob and Billy moved forward to catch her but it was a pair of cold arms that reached her first before her head hit the hard ground. Rebecca cradled her mother in her arms and began to scream out in agony, dry sobs wracking her body as she could not shed real tears.

"Momma I am sorry, so sorry..." The words she had been dying to say forever fell from her lips.

XXXXXX

Everyone had retreated to the Swan house, it was in the middle of being renovated after the fire, but most of the structural damage had been fixed already. The Cullen's were not allowed on tribal land so this was the most obvious place where Carlisle could have the opportunity to assess the miraculous event of Sarah regaining the use of her legs. Billy cradled his wife in his arms as the doctor examined her thoroughly. He had only limited equipment with him, to get a proper assessment he would need her to visit the hospital for proper x-rays and scans. After a tense few minutes he stepped back and smiled.

Billy and Sarah gazed at him anxiously. The usually reserved Carlisle Cullen actually winked at them. "Good news, you have caused no further damage to your limbs, in fact I think that your paralysis was actually more due to the fact that your brain was refusing to co operate and send the correct signals to your limbs. You went through an incredibly traumatic experience due to the accident and well at this stage I am only guessing...but I feel tonight's events made you push through your mental barrier and forced your brain to act as it should and send the correct signals through your neural pathways, instigating your limbs to finally move of their own accord."

"You mean my paralysis was self induced?" Sarah asked incredulously.

"Not at all, your spinal column went into spasm when you had your accident. I have seen plenty of cases over the years where this has happened. The human body can sometimes take a long time to heal itself. You will probably need intense physiotherapy my dear but I see no reason for you not to walk again, although I suspect you will always need a crutch of some sort." Carlisle advised smoothly.

Billy clutched his wife closer and kissed her gently on the lips. "Did you hear that? You are going to walk again."

Tears leaked out of Sarah's eyes as she smiled at her husband. Her eyes left him however and roamed over to Rebecca who was sitting huddled on the Swan's couch surrounded by Rosalie and her partner Emmet. They had taken charge of her after she had her final breakdown. Already arrangements were being made for her to be taken to Denali to stay with friends of the Cullen family to hopefully rehabilitate her. Rebecca gazed at her mother through her red eyes, something about the way she carried herself made Sarah believe that her daughter could be saved, hadn't she run to help her after all?

XXXXXX

Jacob arrived back at his house and immediately went over to Bella and pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around him; all through his confrontation with Rebecca she had seen and felt every emotion. Seth, Rachel and Leah had become alarmed when they had witnessed her having one of her fits at the exact point when Rebecca and Jacob had confronted each other. Eventually she had come out of her trance like state and informed them that Sarah had risen out of her wheelchair and taken her first steps. This bit of news had made all their jaws drop.

Leah and Rachel began to get ready to leave, both eager to see their respective boyfriends. Seth had a strange look on his face as he watched Bella and Jacob together. Leah frowned as she tried to suss out her little brother's expression. For a moment she could have sworn that he looked jealous, surely not? He was only a kid. She brushed her concerns to one side as Sam suddenly made an appearance and swept her up into his muscular arms.

"Missed me sweetheart?" He murmured as his lips found hers and he kissed her passionately, not caring that they had a room full of witnesses.

Jared appeared next and he gave Rachel one of his big grins. "Where's my welcome back kiss then princess?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and stalked past him, grabbing hold of his hand as she went by. "I prefer to have some privacy."

Jared grinned again and let her lead him outside.

Jacob pulled away from Bella slightly and looked over at Leah and Sam. A thoughtful expression crossed his face. After a few seconds he finally spoke. "Hey guys would you mind giving me and Bells some privacy..."

Sam chuckled and slipped his arm around Leah's shoulders. "Sure...come on Sethy, let's give the alpha some alone time."

Seth did not move. "I think I should stay, just in case Be...I mean I am needed here."

No one missed his slip up, least of all Jacob. He glared at Seth and a growl erupted from his chest. "Leave now." His Alpha command made them all flee the room.

Bella raised her eyebrows at him. "Was that really necessary?"

Reaching out Jacob tenderly stroked her cheek. "Yes it was. I need to do something...I mean I have always wanted to do something."

Bella could feel the heat coming from Jacob's body, she gazed up at him and their eyes locked. Something was shifting in their relationship; she had felt it coming for a long time. There was no denying the intent in Jacob's dark eyes. Slowly his head inclined towards hers and she felt her eyes drifting shut as she waited for him to make his move. Ever so gently at first, with just a little pressure Jacob pressed his full lips onto hers. His strong arms slipped around her body and he pulled her close, his heat surrounding them both in a warm cocoon. Bella's arms reached up around his neck of their own volition as she pulled him closer, their mouths moving softly against one another's as they shared their first kiss...

XXXXXX

Edward and Alice Cullen sat side by side on the front steps of the Swan house. Charlie had just arrived and went straight inside, barely acknowledging them as he was so desperate to see his friends. Alice suddenly froze as her eyes glazed over. She became as still as a statue as she let the vision play out before her eyes. Edward did not bother to even ask her what she had seen; he could see it play out in her mind through his mind reading abilities. He braced himself for the lecture he was just about to receive. He was glad that Alice's partner Jasper was not here, he had to go hunting as he had the least self control when surrounded by humans for long periods of time.

"Don't even consider it Edward. She belongs to someone else." Alice snapped at him.

Edward gave her one of his crooked grins and ran a hand though his perfectly coiffed hair. "She is perfect Alice; do you know how soothing it is to be in the same room as another person and not have endless thoughts shoved in your head? She has a strong shield, that's why the Volturi want her so badly; she would make an excellent addition to their protectors. I want to get to know her Alice. Help me?"

Alice stood up and began to pace nervously in front of her adopted brother. "I want you to be happy Edward, you always seem so alone and she is the first girl that you have shown an interest in, but...no you have to leave her alone. She could never love you."

"You can't see that, the wolves are hidden from you but I know that you caught a glimpse of another future for Isabella. I could make her happy; I could take her to places she could never imagine visiting. What sort of future can the dog give her? Tied to La Push for her natural human life, no...someone like her deservers far more." Edward's golden eyes blazed as he spoke.

"She would hate you Edward..." Alice whispered fiercely at him.

Edward laughed at her and rose from the steps. "Sister, she is still too young anyway, in another two years she will be seventeen, just the perfect age to see what she could really be."

"Don't do this? Please Edward just leave her alone." Alice pleaded.

"Of course...as if I would ever use my powers to persuade her otherwise?"

"You already have, Carlisle stopped you...I will be keeping a close watch Edward..." She warned him.

Edward nodded. "I wouldn't expect any less of you. Isabella needs friends, you can try Alice but well...you saw for yourself."

"That is only one possible outcome; it is not set in stone." Alice seethed her white teeth drawn back in a snarl as she appraised her adopted sibling.

"I know...anyway it is really none of your business. Humans always make their own choices. Isabella will make hers. "

"Carlisle will never forgive you..." Alice pressed, trying to persuade Edward to choose a different path.

"He will understand eventually...he has Esme, if it wasn't for my slip up all those years ago she would have remained alive and happily married to that man. Where would that have left Carlisle? I cannot always control my thirst. I never meant to kill Esme's husband, but it worked out to Carlisle's advantage in the end when she tried to end her life after she lost the baby. He now has a mate for life." Edward sounded proud of his actions causing Alice to flinch.

"Neither of them know that was you do they?"

"Alice he is happy and so is she, they were made for each other. I believe that Isabella was made for me. Don't you want me to be happy?" Edward put on his best pleading expression. Alice always fell for it.

Alice nodded quickly and shut down her thoughts before he could read them. She needed him to believe that she was on his side; Carlisle had asked her specifically to keep an eye on him. He already suspected he was up to something. Responsibility weighed heavily on her. However she knew they had some breathing space, Bella was only fifteen, still too young.

"I need to go hunting, care to join me?" Edward asked her as his thirst burned his throat.

Alice nodded. "Yes, let's go join Jas, he is nearby."

Edward took the lead and vanished into the surrounding trees in a blur, Alice close behind him...

_A/N-I am no good at writing the Cullen's, they always give me a headache, sigh. This is the end of Part Two, the story will be moving on a couple of years. We will rejoin Bella when she is seventeen and Jacob nearly sixteen. Thanks for reading. _


	27. Chapter 27

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-THANK YOU to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter, I am still getting a lot of error messages when I try to reply, sighs. I have e-mailed them so I hope to have it sorted soon. I have read and loved every single one! Nikki :)_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part One**

_**Two years later...**_

Leah stood in the lunch queue waiting impatiently to be served. She was in a foul mood as she had not seen Sam for the past few days. The pack had gone on a training exercise in the wilds for five days, to hone their hunting and tracking skills. Seth had been left behind to keep watch over Bella and Leah while they were at school. Jacob felt that they needed to get away from all the distractions to truly gel as a pack, however Leah knew for a fact that Jacob had sneaked a cell phone away with him. Bella had hers clutched in her hand constantly and her face would light up when it rang. Wait until she told Sam...a voice calling her name brought her out of her reverie.

"Well, well if it isn't Miss Leah Clearwater, fancy joining the dark side babe and having some fun for a change? Is that boyfriend of yours neglecting you? Is that why you look so pissed..." Paul Lahote sauntered over to Leah and threw his arm around her.

"Get off me you creep. If Sam were here he would..."

"Well darlin' he isn't here so..."

"I am though, so I suggest you get your filthy hands off of my sister before I lay you out flat." Seth Clearwater said threateningly as he came right up into Paul's face.

Paul Lahote looked up at Seth, was this kid really only thirteen? The boy towered over him and Paul took a step back. He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and turned away. "You Clearwater's have no sense of humour. Maybe I should go and have a word with that other chick you hang around with, Bella is it? At least she smiles..."

He never got to finish his sentence as Seth hit him hard on the jaw. His arms flailed out at the side as he tried to regain his balance, but he ended up landing on his ass. The cafeteria had gone quiet as the gathered crowd stared over at them. Leah saw some of their teachers coming over to investigate the cause of the ruckus. She grabbed hold of Seth's arm and yanked it hard.

"We need to get out of here before we get pulled into the office." She hissed. Seth was still breathing heavily, trying to control his anger. His sister's words finally sank in and he allowed her to lead him out of the way of prying eyes.

XXXXXX

Leah looked her brother up and down as he leaned back against the wall of the tribal school. Ever since he had turned thirteen he had shot up in height and his temperament had changed. Gone was the happy go lucky kid she always remembered. His wolf gene mixed with his teenage hormones had given him a quick temper. She also thought that as he was hanging around with boys much older than him it had made him mature faster in lots of unexpected ways. She could not imagine what it must be like for him to have the thoughts of others shoved in his head on a daily basis, Sam had told her once it was not always easy to hide everything.

"Sethy are..."

"Don't call me that, I am not a child." He snapped.

Leah bit back her own retort; it was funny how he never protested when Bella called him by that nickname. She reached out and patted him on his arm; she saw his muscles bunch as the tension built up in him. She knew that he was pissed at Jacob and the others because he had been left behind again. They still saw him as the young boy he once was, because he was still so young in years they tended to make him take a back seat in any encounters and he was constantly fighting to earn a higher place within the pack dynamic.

"Seth I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine, Lahote had it coming. There was no way I was going to stand for him coming onto you and Bella. If we didn't have so many witnesses I would have done more than hit him on the jaw." He replied mulishly.

"I know, but I can handle myself and so can Bella. You boys have to realise we are not as weak as you think we are." Leah said, irritated at the fact that the pack always stepped in at any small sign of another male talking or approaching either her, Bella or Rachel. They were all feeling increasingly isolated from other people around them. If it wasn't for Bella and Rachel, Leah felt like she would have no female friends at all.

Seth crossed his arms and glared at his sister. "You seem to be forgetting Lee about what is coming in the future. Yes we may be a bit overprotective, but we have good reason. I have let Jacob down in the past by not being on top of things when he has left me in charge of Bella's safety. I will not allow anything to happen to any of you. Stop making my job so much harder."

"And this has nothing to do with your crush on Bella right? You have to let go of that Seth, it is only because Jake still thinks you are a little boy with a crush that he has ignored it so far." Leah said sarcastically.

Seth pushed away from the wall and stalked past her. "For the last time I do not have a crush. Get out of my face Lee."

Leah watched her brother walk away and she frowned. It was time that Bella stopped thinking that Seth would grow out of it, he hadn't so far. She needed to make her friend see that her brother was more mature than anyone gave him credit for and she should start distancing herself from him before things got out of hand.

XXXXXX

Jacob was tired. It had been a long week and he was dying to see Bella. The training exercise had gone well; he felt that the pack was now much more fluid when they worked together. They reacted instantly to his orders and had become skilled at tracking and fighting. With the Cullen's now residing permanently in Forks this seemed to attract more nomads to the area, and as a result, the pack had a lot more opportunities to learn how to deal with them effectively.

Being separated from Bella for so long had been a test for both of them. It brought home to him how much weaker he was when she wasn't near. Hearing her voice on the end of a static cell phone signal had not been enough and by the end of the last day he had become increasingly impatient and antsy. Sam and Jared too had been very restless, and tempers had flared within the pack when Embry and Quil had teased the others that they were whipped.

He finally reached the outskirts of his house. Bella had been staying with his family while he had been absent. Charlie was away on a course in Seattle and everyone had thought it best that she stay within the boundaries of La Push. Through the trees he could see her sitting out on the front porch waiting. Her long chestnut hair blew gently in the cool breeze and he saw her chocolate brown eyes scanning the tree line searching for him. He could sense that she knew he was nearby. He phased back quickly and yanked on the shorts that were attached by a leather tie to his leg. He emerged from the dense tree cover and began to sprint towards Bella.

A smile lit up Bella's face as she saw her Jacob running in her direction; she had missed him so much. She stood up and began to head toward him. Bella was not the most coordinated person and it was not long before she stumbled and fell. A pair of strong arms saved her from the fall as Jacob pulled her up into a bear hug and swung her round in a circle. She held onto his strong shoulders as he whirled her around and their joyous laughter at being reunited echoed in the air.

XXXXXX

Jacob ate quickly and Bella was surprised that he didn't choke on his food as he shovelled it in so fast. Billy and Sarah had greeted their son enthusiastically and were just beginning to ask him how it all went when Rachel began to plead with her dad to drive her over to see Jared. He had phoned her as soon as he returned home and begged her to come over and rescue him from his parent's interrogation. Billy had reluctantly agreed to take her there and Sarah had gone along for the ride. So, for a brief window of time, Bella and Jacob had the house to themselves. As soon as the last morsel of food passed his lips Jacob gave Bella a certain look and she smiled widely.

Turning quickly she began to run away toward his bedroom, knowing full well that Jacob could catch her easily. His warm, strong arms caught hold of her within seconds and he pulled her back against his chest. Bella began to struggle against his hold playfully and he hoisted her over his shoulder in a fireman carry as he ran the rest of the way to his room, Bella giggling the whole way in delight.

Jacob placed her gently on his bed and she lay on her back gazing up into his dark, soulful eyes as he hovered above her, his weight resting on his arms. Their expressions became serious as the intensity of the moment increased between them. Bella reached up and traced her finger along Jacob's cheek, down his jaw line and along his full lips.

"I missed you honey." He murmured against her finger as he kissed it. Since their relationship had intensified he had begun to call her honey and Bella adored hearing the word.

"Show me how much..." Bella whispered back.

A sunny grin crossed Jacob's face as he inclined his head towards her and pressed his lips to hers. Bella's arms slipped around his neck and she pulled him closer as he deepened the kiss and their tongues met. Bella gasped at the contact. Jacob rolled over onto his back and pulled Bella with him so that she was now lying across his body. His supernatural heat surrounded them like a cocoon and Bella pressed closer as she let her hands wander over his muscular chest, feeling every sinewy curve and groove of his chest and stomach. Jacob returned the favour by slipping his hand underneath the back of her shirt and rubbing soothing circles along the curve of her spine. His fingers found the clasp of her bra and he began to snap it open when they were interrupted by the sound of Bella's cell phone ringing,

"Ignore it..." Jacob muttered in irritation as he tried to capture Bella's lips with his own again.

Bella sighed and climbed off of him. "I can't, it is my dad's ring tone. I have to answer it."

Jacob flung his arm over his eyes in frustration. "I swear your dad has some sort of radar whenever we get a rare chance to be alone." He complained.

"Knowing him, probably." Bella agreed. She pressed the answer call button. "Hey dad..."

XXXXXX

Later that evening, Jacob and Embry were in the garage working on the old red Chevy that used to belong to his dad. It had been a permanent fixture in the garage for years. In two days time Bella was going to be seventeen and Jake wanted to make sure that it was ready and in pristine condition for her to drive. For some insane reason Bella had always expressed a keen wish to own the old truck. Jake thought she was mad but he would do anything to make her happy, so he had recruited Embry to help him fix it up in time for her birthday celebrations. They were all throwing her a surprise birthday party which was to be held on First beach. She had no idea of what was going on. The other pack members were gathering together a load of driftwood to make up a huge bonfire; his mom and Sue were cooking a feast. Leah was adamant that she was making the cake. Jacob felt dubious about this but he left her to it.

Fixing the last screw in place Jacob and Embry stepped back to survey their handiwork. "What do you think?"

"She'll love it Jake." Embry assured him.

Jacob flashed him a grateful grin. "Thanks for the help Em. I really want to make this a special night for her."

"I know bro, it will be, don't worry. Look I have to get home now. See you later for the next patrol shift."

"Okay and thanks again Embry."

Embry nodded and left the garage. Jacob turned his attention to the shiny red Chevy and patted the hood of the truck. "Happy birthday, honey."

Jacob gave the truck one last glance and he too left the garage, turning off the lights as he went...

_**A/N-I know not a lot happened in this chapter, but I felt some much needed fluff was in order after all the angsty chapters. Thanks for reading. **_


	28. Chapter 28

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-I would like to THANK everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter. This is dedicated to LIVELAUGHLOVE115. Nikki _

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Two**

Bella woke up and stretched lazily. The light shining through the window dazzled her momentarily and she had to blink rapidly to clear her vision. Was the sun actually shining and on her birthday? Taking this as a good omen she shoved the duvet away from her and climbed out of bed. She reached for her dressing gown and wrapped it around her. As she was just about to leave her room a wrapped parcel caught her eye. It was lying at the foot of her bed. Bella smiled, it must be from her dad. He must have sneaked in while she was asleep. She hurriedly picked it up and pulled the paper apart. A CD dropped onto the floor and Bella had to bend down to retrieve it. She frowned as she saw the writing on the front. It was in a fine script, unlike anything she had seen before. It said the words 'A lullaby for Bella,' on the front.

Curiosity got the better of her and she placed the CD in her stereo and pressed play. The soothing sounds of a piano concerto filled her room. She stood mesmerised by the tune and did not stir until the last note resonated in the air.

"Wow dad where did you get this?" Bella muttered to herself. She pressed play for a second time and lay back on her bed to listen to it once again.

XXXXXX

Jacob inspected the cake that Leah had insisted on making for Bella's birthday. He looked at the flattened sponge, covered in chocolate and sighed. "It looks like someone has sat on it. Why is it so flat?"

"Blame Seth, he came home and opened the oven too early. He ruined it; I had no time to make another." Leah said glumly.

"Damn..." Jacob sighed. "Can't we buy one?"

"Look Bella won't care; remember she said that she only wanted presents that were made for her. Well this is what I have made." Leah huffed.

"Alright, can't you put some writing on it at least?"

"I was going to do that, you were the one insisting that I show you how far I had got with it."

"Jeez...why are you so moody?" Jacob complained.

"None of your business," Leah snapped.

"Whatever..." Jacob did not want to get into a slanging match with Leah Clearwater. He had enough to organise today as it was. He wanted this party to go off without a hitch.

"I'm sorry okay, I just feel under a bit of pressure right now."

Jacob gave her a grin. "Apology accepted. I am going to go down to the beach and check on the others."

Leah gave him a small smile in return. "Okay, make sure that Sam gets back here soon. I need him to take me over to Port Angeles, my cousin Emily is coming over for a visit."

Jacob grimaced. "Emily Young, ugh I remember her. She kept following me about the last time she was here, it really pissed Bells off. Please keep her away from me."

A wicked smile crossed Leah's face. "I remember, I thought Bella was going to hit her for sure. Don't worry I will keep her out of Bella's way."

"You better," Jacob replied as he began to leave the house to check on the preparations for the bonfire party.

XXXXXX

Embry, Seth and Quil had finished piling up the driftwood for the bonfire. They were now cordoning off the rest of the beach so that any stragglers would not be able to get through. This was going to be a private party; they had express permission from the tribal elders to block off any visitors for the evening.

"I think we have done our bit. I am going to head back home to get some food." Embry said as he surveyed their handiwork.

"I think we should add more wood. " Seth replied as he glanced over at the bonfire.

"Aww is ickle Sethy worried that Bella will not think he has done a good enough job." Quil teased him.

"Piss off Quil, you don't know what you are talking about. " Seth yelled back at him. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts and stalked off.

Embry glared over at Quil. "Idiot, you know how sensitive he is about Bella. She has already had a little 'talk' with him about his unreciprocated feelings. He feels embarrassed and you rubbing his nose in it is not helping."

Quil just rolled his eyes. "He is a pathetic baby if that is all it takes to upset him."

Embry punched Quil hard on the arm making him wince. "Stop being such an insensitive ass."

"Like I said he needs to grow a pair. I have to do a few odd jobs for my grandfather. I will see you later at the party." Quil replied.

Embry just nodded and watched Quil walk off down the beach.

XXXXXX

"I didn't give you this CD I swear." Charlie insisted.

"Was it from mom then?"

"No."

"Jake?"

Charlie had to smile at that assumption. "Jacob and a piano, I hardly think so."

Bella giggled as she tried to picture Jacob sitting at a piano and writing a lullaby for her. "How did this CD end up in my room if it wasn't from you or Jake?"

Both of them looked at each other in alarm as the same thought occurred to them. Charlie reached out and snatched the CD from his daughter's hand. "I can't believe he would have the audacity to enter your room again." He seethed.

Bella watched as her father crumpled the CD under his foot and tossed the remains in the bin.

"You have to tell Jacob now Bella, this has gone too far." Her father warned her.

Bella hung her head and hid her face behind her hair. "He has so much responsibility dad. I can't pile all this on top of him too."

Charlie reached out and pulled his daughter into a rare hug. "I will talk to Carlisle; he should be able to curtail Edward's night time activities."

"Sometimes I think I am imagining things." Bella admitted.

"You just concentrate on having a good time tonight. Let me handle the Cullen's."

"Dad...thanks."

"No problem kiddo, I will join you all later after work."

Bella squeezed her dad around the waist and finally left the room to get ready.

XXXXX

The bonfire lit the night sky and cast a warm glow among the gathered guests for Bella Swan's seventeenth birthday. Jacob had his arms wrapped around her as she received her gifts. Each member of the pack had made her something; she had insisted that she did not want anyone spending any money on her. A lot of her presents had been traditional Quileute offerings. When Leah had shown her the cake she had made, Bella had giggled and flung her arms around her friend. For the first time in an age, Leah had actually laughed.

"Lee, are you coming down with a fever? You feel so hot?" Bella asked her with concern.

Leah's expression became irritated at Bella's question. "You are as bad as Sam. I have a bit of a temperature that is all, happy birthday."

Jacob and Bella exchanged a worried glance as Leah stomped off to rejoin a worried looking Sam. She was so distracted by Leah that Bella failed to notice another girl sidle up to Jacob.

"Well you have grown into a fine young man, Jacob Black." A female voice purred.

Bella's head whipped around as she recognised Emily's Young's nasally tones. "What are you doing here?" She snapped.

Emily gave her a sly smile and winked at Jacob. "I am visiting my dear cousins of course. Still pretending you belong here Bella, I thought..."

A low growl erupted from Jacob's chest making them all jump. Emily's eyes widened as she saw his eyes turn dark with anger. "Get out of here before I say or do something I regret. Do not ever speak to Bella or me in that way again."

"It was just a joke..." Emily said defensively. She adjusted the straps of her dress and ran her hands through her long, silky black hair. "Happy birthday Bella, I will see you around Jacob."

Jacob and Bella watched her walk away, wiggling her hips the whole time.

"She fancies you." Bella said sadly.

Jacob turned Bella around in his arms and gazed down into her eyes. "I love only you honey."

Bella felt the tension leave her body at his declaration and she threw her arms around his neck and clung to him. "Where is my present then, Jake?" She whispered as she nipped his ear seductively.

He pulled away and grinned down at her. "Come with me and I will show you." Taking her by the hand he led her away from the beach and back toward his house.

XXXXXX

Paul Lahote spied Leah standing by herself; she was looking at the sea lapping at the shoreline. For once she was alone; he scanned the beach for her boyfriend Sam but could not see him. Now was the time to make his move. He strolled over to her casually and took her by surprise by flinging his arm over her shoulder.

"Hey, darlin', where have you been hiding?"

Leah shrugged his arm off of her shoulder and stepped back. "Piss off Paul, can't you see I am busy."

"Busy doing what exactly?" He sneered.

"Why are you such an asshole?" Leah suddenly yelled, her limbs trembling with her pent up emotions.

"What is your problem?" He shouted back at her, his own anger making his body heat up."I am only trying to ask you out on a date?"

Leah laughed without humour. "I would not go out with you if you were the last man on earth. I know all about your reputation Lahote. I have a boyfriend as you well know, so back off."

"You're pathetic, where is he now huh? The last time I saw him he was cosying up to your cousin Emily." Paul lied smoothly.

"You are a liar." Leah felt like her head was splitting apart.

"You all make me sick. You and that gang you hang around with, making out that you are all so superior." Paul spat, his body beginning to shake.

Leah began to stumble away from him toward the trees. Images of Sam and her cousin Emily assaulted her mind. She could not think rationally as her head was whirling. Heat was coursing up and down her spine. Paul followed her as he too felt the pull to hide among the trees.

XXXXXX

Bella gazed in wonder at the old red Chevy that Jacob had spent the last few months fixing up for her. She ran her hands over the shiny paintwork and then opened the door to sit behind the wheel. Jacob grinned at her reaction; her face was glowing with happiness.

"You like it then?" He teased her playfully.

"I love it, oh Jake it is perfect. Thank you so much." Bella crawled back out of the driver's side and launched herself at Jacob; he caught her in his arms easily and hugged her tightly.

"Happy birthday, Bells." He pulled her close against his firm body and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I love you..." She murmured against his mouth, savouring the taste of his tongue on hers.

"I love you too..." Jacob murmured against her lips.

They continued kissing passionately for a good ten minutes before Bella felt Jacob stiffen in her arms. His eyes had turned dark and she could feel the tension coming off of him in waves.

"Jacob what is it?" She questioned him anxiously.

Loud howls began to echo through the night. Jacob gently extricated himself from Bella's arms. "Someone has phased honey, I have to..."

"Go...I will wait until you get back." She promised him faithfully.

Jacob gave her a quick kiss and then left the garage and headed for the surrounding forest. As soon as he phased he nearly fell to his knees at the chaos whirling in the pack mind. Embry, Quil and Sam were also phasing in one by one and they were all shocked at the knowledge that overwhelmed them, especially Sam.

Leah Clearwater was screaming in panic through the pack mind and another voice joined hers in fear. Paul Lahote and Leah Clearwater had phased for the first time...

_A/N-The second part will be coming soon. Thanks for reading._


	29. Chapter 29

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-I would like to THANK everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Your awesome feedback keeps me motivated. This chapter is dedicated to you all. Nikki _

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Three**

Charlie sat in the hospital's reception waiting for Carlisle to make an appearance, with every second that ticked past he became more annoyed. The thought of Edward Cullen sneaking into his daughter's room at night while she slept, set his teeth on edge. In the past year it had happened twice. Bella had been asleep and suddenly woken to see a pair of golden eyes gazing at her; Edward had been sitting in the rocking chair in her room. Bella had screamed the house down but Cullen was long gone by the time he reached his daughter. Charlie had confronted Carlisle, who had been suitably horrified to hear about this incident. He had sworn that he would curtail Edward's night visits. He had rolled out the excuse that as vampires did not sleep he had lost all concept of time. Charlie had warned Carlisle to keep Edward far away from Bella and he had readily agreed. Now once again it appeared that Edward had ignored the previous warning.

Another ten minutes passed before he finally showed up. He gave Charlie a welcoming smile and held out his hand for him to shake, Charlie ignored his gesture and abruptly made his way to an empty cubicle so that they could talk in private.

"What can I do for you Chief Swan?" Carlisle asked smoothly.

Charlie crossed his arms and glared over at the doctor. "He has been back in her room." He stated bluntly.

"Edward?"

"Yes Edward, I thought you were going to make sure he stayed away."

"Did Bella see him?" Carlisle enquired, his voice showing no sign of worry.

"NO, he left a CD in her room, some sort of piano thingy." Charlie informed him coldly.

"Look Chief Swan, I understand that Edward's actions may seem unusual to you, but you have to understand it merely seems like he was only there briefly to deliver a present for your daughter's birthday. I know that he has been working on this piano concerto for weeks. His method of delivery should have been more open, but I fear your confrontational attitude has rendered his attempts at friendship with your daughter difficult at best." Carlisle gave Charlie his most understanding smile.

"Do you take me for a fool Dr Cullen? I have tried to accommodate you all living here on a permanent basis. Your explanation about the trouble looming in the future for us all and your desire to help sounds authentic. However the fact remains, you are vampires and my daughter is a vulnerable human, the two do not mix. I would not tolerate a human boy crawling through her window, let alone one who thirsts for blood. Either you make him stay away or I will be forced to inform the pack about his night time activities. I know that a wolf is on guard at our house every night, once I find out which one was not at their post allowing your so called 'son' to gain access they will be dealt with swiftly. Keep him away from Bella, do you understand?" Charlie snapped.

Carlisle remained impassive, his face devoid of all expression. "If that is how you feel, then I will certainly make sure that Edward does not overstep the boundaries again."

"Good, "Charlie said with satisfaction, he immediately left the cubicle and made his way out of the hospital.

Carlisle waited until he was sure that Charlie had left and he whipped his cell phone out of his pocket and placed a call.

"Carlisle, "Alice's worried tone echoed down the line.

"He has done it again, why did you not see this?" He demanded.

"He is getting very devious Carlisle and has learned how to block my visions by not settling on one decision. Now may be a good time to send him away to stay with our friends over in Denali." Alice advised.

"What about Rebecca Black?"

"Do not worry, so far I have seen that she has managed to keep to a vegetarian diet. She is longing to visit her mother and sister, but Tanya has persuaded her to wait a while longer until she has total control. Edward needs to learn the same lesson." Alice concluded.

Carlisle sighed. "I will talk to him right now and send him over to them."

"It's for the best." Alice replied.

"Thanks Alice, tell Esme I will be home soon."

"Of course." Alice replied before she ended the call.

XXXXXX

Leah ran fifty miles before Sam managed to catch her up and persuade her to phase back into her human form. She collapsed onto the dirt floor in a heap, tears pouring down her face. She was completely naked as her clothes had been ruined when she phased. Sam immediately phased back too and gathered her up into his strong arms, rocking her gently back and forth as he felt her pain and unhappiness course through him. She clutched onto him tightly like a woman drowning.

"Why? Why me? I don't understand..." Her voice was laced with panic. Sam held her tighter.

"I don't know why Lee Lee, but it will be alright. I am here babe. I am never letting you go." He murmured soothingly.

"My parents, it was bad enough when Sethy phased...Sam help me." Leah began to panic again as she recalled the pain and fear she felt as her body betrayed her and her limbs contorted into a spirit wolf.

"Do not worry about them Lee. It is going to be alright, I am here..." Sam said again reassuringly.

Leah stared at him, her eyes wild. "Paul phased too, it was because he was goading me."

Sam frowned at her words. "What did that asshole do to you Lee?"

Leah's lips trembled as she burrowed herself against Sam's comforting warmth. "He keeps coming on to me. I have tried hiding it from you as I know how tired you have been from the constant patrolling. Tonight he was at me again; he intimated that you were cosying up to Emily. I know it's not true, but I just saw red and...oh Sam..." Fresh tears began to pour down Leah's face.

"It's alright Lee." Sam said again. Leah's face was pressed against Sam's chest so she did not see Sam's fierce expression as he listened to her confession. His eyes had gone a dark black colour, a sure sign that his wolf was close to the surface battling for dominance. Paul Lahote had dared to try and take his mate from him, now he would pay. Outwardly he appeared calm for Leah's sake, but internally he began to plot a way to punish Paul Lahote for daring to lay one finger on Leah.

XXXXXX

Jacob and the others finally managed to pin Paul to the ground, his distress and anger had prevented him from listening to reason. When he had first heard the voices streaming through his consciousness he had made a run for it. He had not travelled far as he stumbled due to the fact that he now had four legs and was not used to using all four limbs at once. In his head he was still human and he was trying to run on two legs. His head was full of images of Leah when she suddenly burst out of her skin and turned into a wolf. At first he had tried to follow her, but a huge black wolf had appeared out of nowhere and kept pace beside her. They had both soon vanished into the dense undergrowth.

Paul now lay in a submissive pose, his belly on the ground and ears flat against his head. Jacob had issued an Alpha order on him to remain still. He had been fighting against all of them. Images assaulted his mind as Jacob reeled off the tribe's histories and the legends of the spirit wolves, protectors of the tribe against the cold ones. Paul had no choice but to listen, as the story came to an end he began to relax and Jacob ordered the other's to give him some space.

"Leah? I need to see Leah..." Paul begged, using his new found mental ability to talk through the pack mind.

"Leah is none of your concern." Jacob informed him. "I need you to learn how to phase back, there is a lot you have yet to understand."

A low growl erupted from Paul's chest as he tried to fight against Jacob's order, but to no avail, he remained pinned to the ground. He vowed to find Leah and talk to her. He did not realise that everyone in the pack could hear his every thought. In his head he heard Samuel Uley roar.

XXXXXX

Sarah sat next to Bella on the sofa, her arm around the young girl's shoulders as she recounted everything she could see through Jacob's eyes. Billy stood next to Charlie, Sue and Harry Clearwater sat at the kitchen table holding hands as Bella told them about their daughter phasing for the first time.

"It can't be possible, "Harry said for the tenth time as he heard Bella recalling the distress and fear that Leah had gone through. "Is Seth there?"

Bella's eyes were fixated into the distance; she could only see what Jacob was experiencing. Neither Leah, nor Seth was with Jacob. He was dealing with Paul Lahote. "I can't see Leah or Seth." She murmured softly.

"Bullshit you must be able to tell us something..." Harry suddenly demanded his face turning white. The thought of his little girl out there all alone and vulnerable made his heart hurt. In fact his chest felt very painful.

Charlie shot him a dirty look. "Do not speak to Bells like that again, she is telling you everything she knows."

Harry pulled his hands away from his wife and stood up, he stalked over to Charlie and jabbed a finger in his chest. "Do not tell me how to talk. If it was your daughter you would..."

"No, I would have some respect...my little girl is telling you all she knows, back off." Charlie yelled.

Billy exchanged an alarmed glance with his wife and stepped between Charlie and Harry. "Come on now. I am sure Jake has everything under control."

Harry glared fiercely at his oldest friends. "If that was the case then why can't she see my daughter? If any harm comes to her Billy Black I will hold you and your son personally responsible."

Billy felt like he had been stabbed in the gut. "How dare you? My boy has been dealing with this shit all his life. I am sorry about Leah but do not dare drag Jake into this. Not if you value our friendship."

Charlie sighed and stood between his two friends. "Calm down both of you. The last thing our children need is for us to start fighting"

"Harry please, Charlie is right." Sue pleaded.

"Yes and we all know why you take his side every time..." Harry yelled at his wife. He saw her cringe from his harsh tone and regretted his actions immediately.

Charlie placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Look I cannot even imagine what you are feeling right now, but I have faith in Jake, he will sort them all out, including Leah."

Harry stiffened, his chest felt so tight and a sharp pain suddenly made him bend over. Sue was by his side at once as Charlie caught hold of Harry and guided him toward an empty seat. "What's the matter with him?"

Sue could literally feel her husband's heart jumping from his chest. "I...I think he is having a heart attack. Billy, call an ambulance."

All the adults looked on in stunned silence as Billy called for help. Sue placed her husband in the recovery position and spoke to him soothingly. While all this was happening, Bella came out of her trance and whispered. "They are back."

It was at this point that Jacob, accompanied by Sam, Leah and Seth walked back into the house...

A/N-Thanks for reading...


	30. Chapter 30

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-__**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH,**__ for your awesome reviews on the last chapter, I have not been very well the last couple of days so have not been able to answer every review. I do apologise, but I have read and cherished them all. Nikki _

_Please note that Paul is being an ass in this chapter, there is reason for it. All will become clear as the story progresses. Thanks._

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Four**

Sue left the hospital cubicle where her husband was resting and made her way over to the crowded waiting area. She sought out the anxious eyes of her two children and smiled at them both in relief.

"He's alright, it wasn't a heart attack, apparently with all the stress he has been under he had a full blown panic attack." She informed them.

Tears of relief began to pour down Leah's face as she slumped in Sam's arms. He held her tightly as she sobbed against his chest. Seth walked over to his mom and engulfed her in a bear hug. "He really is going to be alright?" He whispered, wanting to make sure.

Sue returned his hug and squeezed her tall son around the waist. "Yes sweetheart, I am sure."

Seth pulled away from his mom and gazed around until he caught sight of Bella. He smiled at her in joy. "He's okay Bella, my dad is alright."

Bella gave him a big smile in return, she felt Jacob pull her tighter against his side as he frowned over at Seth. Bella nudged him in the side. "Don't go all Alpha on me now Jake. He is only happy that his dad is alright."

Jacob watched Sue lead her son and daughter into the cubicle to see their dad. When they were out of earshot he leaned down and whispered to Bella. "I know that he is relieved that Harry is okay, we all are. It seems that your little talk with him has not sunk in Bells. Once Harry is home I am going to have a long talk with the kid."

Bella glared up at Jacob. "That is the whole problem; Seth is no longer a kid, Jake. He is constantly trying to prove himself to you and the pack. Why don't you listen to him for once instead of treating him like a baby?"

Jacob was taken aback by Bella's tone. It was very rare for her to snap at him or disagree with how he handled the pack. Hurt pride washed over him and he released her and took a step back. "What the hell does that mean? I do the best I can for each member of the pack. Seth is still only thirteen and has a lot to learn...especially to stay away from you."

"Jake, he has been a spirit wolf for far longer than even Jared, and you trust him far more than poor Seth. You were thirteen once and you had a lot of responsibility to deal with even then. You handled it, what makes you think that Seth can't?" Bella enquired fiercely.

"Because he has put your safety at risk twice Bella, not to mention this 'crush' he has on you that he can't keep under control. I am sick of seeing his pathetic fantasises about you running through the pack mind. The boy has no control over his thoughts and it makes my job that much harder when the other's rile me up about it. So before you pass judgement on me get your facts straight." He shot back at her.

Bella bit her lip in agitation. She could feel all of Jacob's pent up emotions whirling through her, but she was not willing to back down on this issue. "Seth knows full well that his feelings for me are never going to be reciprocated. When I spoke to him he clearly understood how I felt. He cannot help how he still feels. Seth is no threat to you in that way and I can't understand why you are getting so angry about it?"

Jacob shook his head in disbelief. "You can't understand why I am getting so angry about it? You belong to me Bella and I am sick of others interfering..."

Bella's eyes narrowed and she held out her hand in a stop gesture. "Don't even go there Jake, seriously I can't believe you just said that."

Holding out his arms Jake tried to embrace Bella but she evaded him. "Why are you being like this, Bells?" He demanded, his arms dropping to his sides.

Bella gazed at him sadness in her eyes. "I am going home with my dad. Stay away from me until you understand why..."

Jacob crossed his arms defensively as he watched Bella turn on her heel and walk away. His instincts were yelling at him to run after her and hug her tightly to him, but his hurt pride kept his feet planted firmly on the floor. She would be back...wouldn't she?

XXXXXX

Leah lay in an exhausted heap on her bed. Sam had to leave her and resume his patrol, Seth had joined him. Her thoughts whirled through her tired mind as she recalled the terrifying moment when she had first phased. Paul's chaotic thoughts had been the first thing that had entered her head as they both phased together, his feelings had tumbled out uncontrollably and she had experienced his crush first hand. He had been pursuing her on and off for weeks. She had managed to keep it hidden from Sam, but her constant rebuttals seemed to spur Paul Lahote on as he refused to give up. Now Leah knew the full truth, his love for had reeled through her mind as they shared the most upsetting experience imaginable at the same time. At least she had some idea what was happening, Paul had none. However one thing had stood out, Paul's first thought had not been about himself but her safety.

"I don't need this..." Leah muttered to herself. Sam had taken a long while to calm down. Jacob had to issue an Alpha order on him to stay away from Paul until the latter could control his phasing. Sam had not been happy about this at all, but he had no choice but to comply.

Leah's cell phone began to ring, thinking that it was Bella she hurriedly answered it. She was shocked to hear Paul's voice echo down the line. "Leah...please, can we talk?"

"Paul..." She breathed. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Look I know that...when we both phased you must have heard everything that I felt about you. Shit, there are no secrets now. I just want to talk, please meet me?" He begged.

"I don't think..."

"I'm struggling here Leah, please. I have no one else to turn to."

Leah sighed and ran her hand through her hair. She knew that she was probably going to regret this but she finally complied. "Okay...Sam is patrolling at the moment so it will have to be now."

"I'm out here already babe. Come see me?"

Leah's eyes opened wide. "Already, you can't just turn up like this Paul."

"I was desperate. Are you coming out now or what?"

"Yes I am coming..." Leah snapped her phone shut and launched herself off of her bed. Something in her gut told her she was going to regret this, but she still went to meet him anyway.

XXXXXX

"Stop asking me if I am alright?" Bella snapped as Charlie looked at her with concern.

"I was only checking kiddo. Today has been stressful for us all. I was worried..." Charlie's voice trailed off as he saw tears begin to well in Bella's eyes. "What's up Bells?"

Bella bit her lip trying to stem the tide of tears. "Nothing..." She lied badly.

Charlie raised his eyebrows at her and she immediately ran over to him and threw her arms around his waist. "I had an argument with Jake." She confessed.

"Oh...well it happens kiddo. I am sure you two will sort it out. "Charlie patted Bella on the back awkwardly.

"I told him to stay away from me..." Bella wailed.

Charlie felt overwhelmed by this unexpected display of emotion from Bella. He was not used to her acting in this way, she was normally so together, but then again it was rare she had any sort of spat with Jake. "Why would you do that?"

Bella pulled away and looked at her feet. "He was being a bit...err..."

Charlie hid his smile. "Was he being overprotective kiddo?"

"Well...sort of..."

"You know us men can't help it sometimes, I bet he will be around here apologising before I finish this sentence." Charlie said jokingly.

Bella's face lit up as a loud pounding on the front door indicated Jacob's arrival. Charlie watched his daughter stumble her way over to answer it. As she flung the door open, a pair of strong arms engulfed her in a bear hug as Jacob literally lifted her off of the floor.

"I'm sorry honey, you were right." He apologised as he hid his face in her shoulder.

"I'm sorry too..." Bella admitted as she slipped her arms around his neck and held him close.

Charlie chuckled to himself. "Teenagers," he muttered as he strode into the kitchen and helped himself to a beer.

XXXXXX

Leah stood awkwardly on her porch as she watched Paul emerge from the shadows. She could not believe the change in him already. He seemed to have grown inches overnight and the muscle he had packed on recently was so much more obvious as he moved back and forth with a sinuous grace. He eventually stopped his pacing and gave her a smug grin.

"I knew that you liked me too." He suddenly announced.

Leah frowned. "What the hell? You asked me to meet you because I thought you were upset about phasing, that was all a ruse, wasn't it?"

Paul shrugged his shoulders nochantly. "So what if it was? You wouldn't have given me the time of day otherwise."

Leah's lip curled back in a snarl. "Stay away from me Lahote. I am with Sam and he will not take kindly to the fact that you have been harassing me. If you want a smooth transition into the pack then keep your distance from me."

Paul just smiled lazily at her attempt to threaten him. "Look Clearwater I like you and I can tell you like me too, why fight it? We could have fun together."

"Are you completely clueless? I am with Sam and I LOVE him so back off before he teaches you a lesson." Leah felt her hands curling into fists as the tell tale heat ran up and down her spine.

Stalking quickly up the steps, Paul stood face to face with Leah. He gazed down into her angry eyes and smirked at her. "You look gorgeous when you are pissed at me."

Leah moved her hand and slapped him hard around the face; he caught her wrist in his hand and yanked her arm down to her side. He leaned in close so that Leah could feel his breath wash over her heated skin. "Don't do that..."

Before Leah could protest he pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss...

XXXXXX

Jacob, Bella and Charlie were eating dinner when they heard the howls. Bella exchanged a frustrated glance with Jake before he reluctantly rose from the table. "I better go and see what the trouble is..."

"Be careful son, "Charlie said as he began to clear the table. He left Jacob and Bella alone so that they could say their goodbyes in private.

Bella wrapped her arms around Jacob's waist and squeezed. "Are we ever going to get any peace?"

He gently embraced her and turned her face up to his so he could kiss her gently. He heard Charlie moving about nearby and groaned in irritation. This was getting ridiculous, they never had any time to themselves and he was yearning to just be alone with her, no distractions. He began plotting in his head, determined to find somewhere they could be alone.

"It will happen, Bells, I promise. I have to go now; I had a feeling that Lahote was going to cause trouble. That's Sam howling." He admitted.

Bella sighed and finally released him. "I love you Jacob." She whispered so only he could hear.

"I love you too honey, so much. Stay indoors with your dad, promise me?"

Bella smiled softly. "I promise, now go."

Jacob leaned in for one last kiss and then walking backwards so he could still see Bella, he finally left the house to rejoin the pack.

A/N-Thanks for reading.

#


	31. Chapter 31

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-_**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWS**_ _**ON THE LAST CHAPTER, I read and LOVED them all. Real life has caught up with me (some of you may know why,lol) so my updates on this story will slow down. Luckily I had this one already written and I found a spare half an hour to edit it. I will still try to update at least once a week if I can. Thanks for your patience. Nikki :)**_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Five**

By the time that Jacob arrived on the scene Sam and Seth had Paul Lahote pinned to the ground. Sam's huge jaws were clamped around Paul's neck and he was shaking him back and forth. Seth had bit down hard on Paul's tail and the former was vainly trying to fight back against them both. Leah was pacing to and fro, trying to keep her emotions under control. The pack mind was still so new to her and she was finding it hard to deal with Paul's cries of pain echoing in her head. As soon as Sam had become aware of her distress through their imprint bond he had headed for her house to check on her.

His roar of anger at seeing Paul kissing his mate had made them pull apart at once. As soon as Paul was a safe distance away from Leah, Sam had launched his wolf body at his rival. Paul's wolf instincts kicked in and he just managed to phase before Sam's larger body knocked him to the ground. There had been a mad scramble before Paul broke free and sprinted for the trees, trying to outrun Sam. Leah had taken a moment to gather her wits before she stripped off her clothes and phased too. She could see everything playing out in her head as Sam's anger at Paul's audacity hit her with full force. She sensed that her brother was nearby and his howls soon joined Sam's as he witnessed Paul's pass at his sister.

All of this was being broadcast through the pack mind on replay as Sam could not get the images of Paul kissing Leah out of his head. It gave Jacob a clear insight into what had occurred. He cursed the fact that Paul had phased, he knew that he would bring trouble. Leah calmed down when she caught sight of Jacob, she was confident that he would separate the combatants. Although she was angry at Paul for kissing her, she did not want him torn to pieces by her irate boyfriend and brother. To her surprise Jake did not intervene, he held back and just observed.

"Why are you not putting a stop to this Jacob?" Leah demanded through their shared mind link.

"Paul deserves it for daring to lay hands on you Lee. I will not interfere in what punishment Sam deems fit to mete out." Jacob advised her coldly.

"But Paul cannot defend himself against Sam and Seth. Please I can't handle this anymore. Paul won't do it again. I think he has got the message. Stop this Jake." Leah begged as she heard Paul's whimpers of pain.

Jacob ignored Leah's pleas for another ten minutes. Sam and Seth had given him a good beating. He would heal eventually, although it would take a good couple of days. He felt it was not his place to intervene in this case. If it had been Bella that Paul had tried to make a play for...he did not finish that thought. It was not an idea he cared to entertain.

Sam eventually stepped back and Seth followed him. Paul was lying on the ground his body covered in bites; blood was oozing from several cuts. "Do not ever go near Lee again asshole."

Paul did not respond, his eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily. Sam regarded him for another brief second before he made his way over to Leah. He buried his nose in her fur and sniffed her over carefully, making sure that she was not hurt in any way. Leah instinctively allowed him to do this; it was the wolves' way of communicating. After a minute of this Sam commanded Leah to follow him and she willingly turned and headed off into the trees, out of sight of the others.

Now it was just the three of them left, Jacob, Paul and Seth. Jacob regarded Seth for a second before issuing an Alpha order for him to leave.

"I am done here anyway..." Seth gave one last glance over toward Paul's prone form and then ran off into the trees.

Jacob waited patiently until he felt the others all phase back into their human forms one by one. He wanted to talk to Paul undisturbed. He needed to make sure that Paul was now clear on the fact that he had to stay away from Leah, if he continued in his pursuit of her things could get really messy. Eventually the coast was clear. He loped over to where Paul was still lying recumbent on the forest floor. His breathing was ragged as his body began the long process of healing itself.

"I hope you now understand Lahote why you have to keep your distance from Leah Clearwater. If you want to integrate into this pack then you have to learn to follow my lead and get along with the others. I order you to go home now and take a couple of days to think things over, and then we will speak again. GO." His Alpha command made Paul stagger to his feet instantly; against his will he found his legs moving in the direction of his house.

Jacob watched him slink away, tail down and ears flat to his head. Sam, along with Seth, had taught Paul a valuable lesson, whether he learned from it was another matter. Exhaustion kicked in and he began to head for home himself, he felt Embry and Quil phase in as they took over the next patrol shift. He greeted them quickly and the burst into a fast run, desperate to be back with Bella.

XXXXXX

Charlie looked at his daughter with concern. She had hardly spoken two words since Jacob had left; he caught her staring into space as she was washing up the dishes. It was only when he snapped his fingers that she came out of her trance.

"Are you alright kiddo? You look like you are fretting about something?" He finally asked.

Bella put the dishes away carefully before she sat at the kitchen table and gestured for him to join her. Charlie complied and watched her biting her bottom lip and fiddling with the cuff of her shirt nervously. "What is it kiddo?" He asked again.

"Dad I need to ask you something. It's kind of...well...it's kind of embarrassing, well it's not but it is..." Bella's face flushed as she dropped her gaze to the kitchen table.

"Bells I have no idea what you're talking about?" Charlie replied, completely clueless as to why his daughter was blushing.

"It's about me and Jake..." Bella admitted.

Charlie's eyes narrowed as his dad radar kicked in and he finally understood where this conversation was heading. "What about you and Jacob, Bella?"

Bella swallowed nervously. "Well we kinda err, you know and it's not easy because we never get much time and we would just like some."

"What do you mean by we kinda err, you know? You make no sense." Charlie said irritably.

Bella flushed again. "Dad you were young once right? I mean you and mom dated and must have spent time away from prying eyes, right?" She hedged, hoping he would get the hint.

Charlie got the hint alright, he scraped his chair back and stood up, his face now as red as his daughter's. "Absolutely not Bella Swan, you are far too young for any of that. From now on you will both be somewhere where I can keep an eye on you." He stated pompously.

"Dad..." Bella said, outraged that he would not even listen to her. A knock at the door interrupted their talk.

"I'll answer it, stay here we have not finished this chat just yet. I feel some new ground rules need to be put in place. I know what teenage boys can be like." Charlie immediately left the room and marched over to the front door. He yanked it open to find a grinning Jacob on his doorstep. His grin faded when he saw Charlie glaring at him. What was his problem?

"Hey Charlie, can I see Bells?"

"I know what you are up to Jacob Black; I will be keeping an eye on you both. She is in the kitchen." Charlie waved a warning finger in Jacob's confused face.

"Huh?"

"Don't huh me young man, are you coming in or not?" Charlie snapped.

Jacob nodded and sidled past Charlie. He went straight to the kitchen and found Bella sitting at the table; her face flushed red and angry sparks shooting from her eyes.

"Honey, what's wrong?" He asked anxiously.

"You won't believe it when I tell you..." Bella muttered.

XXXXXX

Billy and Sarah exchanged amused glances as they let Charlie finish his long monologue about his embarrassing conversation with Bella.

"Don't you think you over reacted Chief? I mean they are teenagers and have been heading in this direction. It's natural for them..." Billy stopped speaking when he saw Charlie's face turn red.

"My little girl is too young to be thinking about things like that." Charlie blustered.

Sarah tried to keep a straight face, she knew that Charlie had been finding it hard to contemplate the fact that Bella was growing into a mature young woman. He had been an amazing father to her, but there was one thing he always struggled with and that was intimacy. It must have taken Bella a lot of courage to even broach this delicate subject with her father and, as usual, Charlie had shut down any notion of the fact that she was thinking along those lines.

"Please Charlie, I understand how you feel. I find it hard myself, seeing that my youngest is now practically all grown up. Kids mature so much faster these days. Billy go get Charlie a beer." Sarah smiled as she saw Charlie's face soften.

Billy headed over to the fridge and took out two beers. He smiled to himself; Sarah had hit just the right note to calm his old friend down. God, he loved her so much. He strolled back over to the table and chucked a can over to Charlie. "Sarah's right Chief, we worry too. We might not show it as much as you but we understand."

Charlie sighed and popped the can open and took a huge gulp of beer. It calmed him down now that he felt he had Sarah and Billy on his side. "Well what do we do about them? I mean now that we know that they are thinking about those types of things we need to set down some ground rules."

Sarah exchanged another look with her husband. She reached out and took Charlie's hand in her own. "If we set down a load of rules Charlie it could push them into doing something they are both not yet ready for. Bella and Jake are very mature for their ages but it is a well known fact that the more you try to stop teenagers from doing something, they will rebel and find a way to do it anyway. It must have taken a lot of courage for Bella to open up to you about this Charlie, your daughter trusts you. Don't you think you should show her the same courtesy?"

Sarah's wise words made a huge impact on Charlie; he looked into her eyes and finally nodded. "You're right; I have been an ass haven't I?"

Squeezing his hand, Sarah gave him a sympathetic smile. "Only a bit, but I am sure Bella will understand. How about we have a proper talk with them? Let them know that we trust them to do the right thing."

Charlie gave her a smile and then looked over at Billy. "You are a lucky man Billy Black, do you know that? Your wife is wonderful."

Billy laughed and slipped his arm around Sarah's shoulders. "Oh I know Chief, I know."

XXXXXX

Jacob and Bella sat on the porch swing outside his house. He had his arm over her shoulders and she rested her head against him. They had just had a long conversation with their parents. The upshot was that they understood their need for privacy and acknowledged the fact that they needed to back off and allow them some space. Charlie had apologised to Bella and hugged her briefly, telling her that he trusted her judgement and was proud of how she was growing up. Billy had laughed and tried the same speech with Jake. The latter had rolled his eyes and exchanged a wry look with his mother.

The night air was cool on Jacob's hot skin. For once there was nothing disturbing them and they could relax just like a normal couple. A grin crossed Jacob's face as he thought about what normal teenagers were able to do. If he did not have so much responsibility and were just an ordinary fifteen year old getting the chance to have a relationship with the girl of his dreams, what would they be doing?

Bella glanced up at him; she could see that he was thinking something over carefully. She reached up and touched his cheek gently."Hey what are you thinking about so hard, mister?" She asked playfully.

"I'm thinking that I need to show your dad that I listened to him today and that I can be mature and responsible about these things." Jacob told her. He leaned down and captured her soft lips with his in a gentle kiss.

"How do you plan on doing that?" Bella asked curiously after the kiss ended.

Jacob gave her one of his sunny grins. "Bells, will you go on a date with me?"

Bella couldn't keep the happy smile from forming on her lips. She reached up and slipped her hand behind his neck, caressing the soft hairs at the nape of his neck. "I would love to go on a date with you Jake..."

"Awesome..." Jacob sealed his promise with a loving kiss.

_A/N-Thanks for reading!_


	32. Chapter 32

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-My friend Michaela kindly typed this up for me, thanks honey! I would also like to thank everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter. I read and cherished them all. Nikki :)_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Six**

Bella woke up screaming, tears were rolling down her face and she gasped for breath. It took her a moment to realise she was in her own room and not some dark place that she did not know. She felt her skin, it was absolutely frozen and it made her heart stutter with fear. In her dream her skin had felt the same. All she could recall was a pair of red eyes and Rebecca Black calling her name. Bella shuddered, the dreams were coming to her nightly now, before she had managed to dismiss them as her overactive imagination but she was beginning to wonder whether they might be some kind of omen. Her door opened slowly as a bleary eyed Charlie looked in.

"Are you alright kiddo? I heard you calling out..." He asked.

"Daddy, I'm scared..." Bella replied, tears rolling down her face.

Bella had not called him daddy since she was ten. Charlie knew that she must be really frightened. He made his way over to her bed and sat down beside her."Bells, what's wrong?"

Rummaging around her cabinet Bella finally found what she was looking for. Charlie frowned when he saw the bundle of letters in her hand. He took them from her shaking hand. "These are from Edward Cullen aren't they Bella?"

"I'm sorry dad, I thought if I didn't reply he would stop sending them." More tears rolled down her face as she frantically tried to regain control over herself.

"It's okay kiddo, mind if I look at them?" He asked, trying to keep his anger under control.

"No..."

Charlie gave her an encouraging smile and quickly scanned the letters. They were written in Edward's fine script. It was obvious the boy had been born in another era. Most of them just gave details of his daily life in Denali with his family friends. He talked about Rebecca Black and how they had connected on a level he had never experienced before. He admired Rebecca's tenacity after all the unkind treatment she had received at the hands of her own family and her ability to forgive her twin's betrayal. This made him frown. What lies was the girl feeding her hosts?

He finally reached the last two letters and his blood froze at their contents. His eyes met Bella's. "Why did you not tell me about this before Bella?" He demanded.

Bella shrank back and began to cry harder. "I didn't know what to do daddy. I panicked, Jake has been through so much with all the new wolves phasing. Paul keeps causing problems. We arranged to go on a date and I just want everything to be normal for once."

Charlie's heart melted and he pulled Bella into a comforting hug."It's aright kiddo. I was just shocked. I cannot believe that he would have the audacity to write to you after all that Carlisle promised. You have to let me tell the tribal council and you have to tell Jake."

Bella began to sob harder in his arms. "Please daddy, don't tell Jake. He has so much on his shoulders already. I just want to go on our date without him worrying about Edward. I am sure that he didn't really mean what he said."

"No Bella, the leech seems to be under the impression he has some kind of relationship with you and as far as I can see he is also influencing Rebecca. That is the last thing she needs. I know that she struggles with her darker side. This boy is not right in the head kiddo." Charlie stated fiercely.

"You really think he is serious about his intentions toward me?" Bella felt cold shivers run down her spine as she recalled her nightmare.

Charlie hugged his daughter close again. "I will talk to Billy tonight. Go on your date with Jacob, but after that you have to be open with him. I am surprised he has not felt your worry already."

Bella hung her head so that her expression was hidden by her hair. "I have learnt how to conceal my innermost fears from Jake. Over the years it got too much for him to feel all of my different anxieties. I found a way to make sure to keep my emotions under control from him by putting up a mental shield. It's not fair to him to keep being drawn into my silly fears."

"Bells they are not silly fears. Stop being such a martyr. Tell us when things become too much." Charlie scolded her gently.

"I promise, thank you daddy." Bella whispered.

"It's going be alright Bells; your old man is here for you."

Bella smiled and allowed her dad to comfort her. She felt much better now that someone else knew.

XXXXX

"So where are we going then Jake?" Bella asked eagerly.

Jacob took her hand in his and brought it up to his lips so he could kiss her palm. "Well I know it is only local, I wish I could drive but as I am not yet legal I thought we could go over to the local diner and have a meal."

Bella smiled at him, she reached up and slipped her hand around his neck so she could pull his head down to hers. "It sounds perfect. I don't mind driving if you want to go into Port Angeles or anything?"

Jacob pressed his lips to hers gently. "No, Forks is fine. Is that okay with you?" He checked anxiously.

Bella giggled. "Yeah...I mean that's what most normal teenagers would be doing, right?"

"Yeah, I asked Jared and that's what he and Rach did on their first date."

Bella giggled again. "I asked Lee...well they never made it anywhere but Sam's bedroom."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that has been on constant replay in his head."

Bella grimaced. "Ugh, you better have more self control Jacob."

Jacob grinned at her and pulled her in for a heated kiss. "I promise honey, what happens between us will be for my eyes only."

"It better be..." Bella murmured against his hot lips. "Come on lover boy we better go or we will not be going anywhere."

"Your wish is my command sexy..." Jacob chuckled as he avoided her playful slap.

"Let's just go..." Bella began to run, Jacob close behind her.

XXXXXX

Fork's diner was packed out. Jacob and Bella rarely got to venture out of La Push and they were shocked at all the high school kids from Fork's high crammed into such a small space. The jukebox was playing an old Temptations song and Bella sang along to 'My Girl.' Her voice was off key and this made Jacob grin at her in delight. He loved her so much, especially when she let loose like this. It was very rare that they were not embroiled in some sort of drama and felt relaxed enough to just be themselves.

Jacob joined in the song and began to serenade Bella. His deep baritone voice drifted through the diner and everyone hushed and listened to him sing. When the song ended he stood up and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips, the gathered crowd clapped him, making Bella blush.

"Jake you are such a show off." She said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Well honey, I can't help it if you are tone deaf and I am not."

Bella shook her head. "Whatever, are we going to eat?"

Jacob picked up the menu and studied it carefully. "Mmm...I think burger and chips? What about you?"

"I think I will stick to the salad." Bella mused.

"Bells, try something a bit more filling. I swear you are getting thinner. Are you worried about anything?" Jacob's expression became serious as he studied her carefully.

"No...Stop asking me Jake. This is supposed to be a relaxing date, remember?" Bella replied irritably.

"Sorry honey, I just worry. So much has happened recently..." His voice trailed off as he saw her fierce glare. "Okay message received. "

"Good," Bella said happily. She returned to studying the menu. "If it makes you any happier I will have the chocolate sundae for dessert. Now that's full of calories."

"Done," Jacob said happily. "I might have the same."

Jacob went over to order; Bella sat at their private booth awaiting his return. She was still drooling over the pictures of the desserts. She pictured them in her head and could see herself tasting each one. Bella had a vivid imagination when it came to sweet, sugary things. She did not look up when someone slipped in opposite her and she just assumed it was Jacob. Her ideal was shattered when she heard the nasally tones of Mike Newton addressing her.

"Long time no see, Bella."

"Oh Mike, how are you?" She asked unenthusiastically.

"Where have you been Bella? There were so many rumours going around." Mike gave her one of his adoring puppy dog smiles and Bella winced.

"I have been attending the tribal school in La Push; it's not a secret Mike."

"But why?" He pressed. "I mean there was no reason for you to leave Forks High. It's been boring since you left. Hey, why don't you come to the cinema with me, Jessica Stanley and a few others from our year?"

Bella fiddled with the menu, anxious to get rid of him before Jake came back. "I can't, too busy studying. See you around Mike."

"There's no need to be rude..." Mike said annoyed at her abrupt dismissal.

"Bella Swan, I thought you were dating Jacob Black and here you are with a skinny substitute. Does he know?" Emily Young laughed at her own joke and flicked her long black hair behind her shoulder.

Bella felt her face redden as she regarded Leah's irritating cousin. "What are you doing here?" She snapped.

"Duh...diner equals food. I am getting some take out stupid." Emily shot back at her. "What does a sex god like Jacob Black see in a skinny, pale faced..."

"I would get out right now if I was you Emily Young. The only reason any of us tolerate you is because you are related to Leah. I would not be interested in you if you were the last woman on earth. If you ever insult Bella again I will make sure you are never allowed in La Push again..." Jacob's angry tone pierced even Emily's puerile brain.

Mike Newton's jaw dropped as his eyes travelled up Jacob's tall, toned figure. He scrambled to get out of the booth. "I was just saying hello to Bella...err I will be off now. Bye." He said quickly as he scampered off.

Emily seemed rooted to the spot. She kept looking between Jacob and Bella. Eventually she found her voice. "I know there is something weird going on with you two and my cousins. That Embry clams up whenever I ask him anything. You think you are all so superior, well I will find out what is going on and then report you to the tribal council."

Jacob exchanged an amused look with Bella; they burst out laughing when Emily made that threat. "Go ahead and do your worst. You will be the one with egg on your face."Jacob slipped in beside Bella and put his arm possessively over her shoulders.

Glaring at them both Emily turned on her heel and finally left the diner. Bella breathed a sigh of relief. "At last, so much for a relaxing date," She grumbled.

Jacob leaned down and kissed her gently on the mouth. "They are gone now honey. Let's forget about them and just enjoy the meal."

Bella rubbed her nose against his in an Eskimo kiss. "Okay, I'll try."

"You know it makes sense honey." Jacob whispered as he again captured her lips with his.

XXXXXX

As they both entered Jacob's house wrapped around each other, their joy was interrupted by the group of grim faced adults situated around the kitchen table. Bella locked eyes with her dad. He had obviously told Billy about the letters she had been receiving from Edward Cullen. Jacob felt her distress and pulled her close.

"What's going on?" He asked in alarm.

Billy sighed. "Sit down son and try to keep your temper."

"Why would I lose my temper?" Jacob demanded.

Sarah held out her hands to her son. "Jacob, please do as your father asks. Bella, why don't you come sit next to me?"

Bella nodded gratefully, she peeled herself away from Jacob and took the seat next to Sarah.

"Bells, what's happening?" Jacob pleaded. Her ability to hide her emotions from him had crumbled when confronted with the issue of Edward.

"I'm sorry Jake. You were going through so much. I really didn't want to burden you with more." She mumbled.

Jacob was by her side in an instant. "Bells, talk to me?" He pleaded.

Charlie cleared his throat. "Sit down Jake. We will tell you everything but you do need to remain calm."

Jacob refused to leave Bella's side. Her fear was communicating itself to him. "Just tell me." He demanded.

Billy nodded and held out some letters to his son. "Read these, they will make everything clear."

Jacob felt his heart plummet; he could already smell the leech stink coming off of them. He gingerly took them from his dad and began to scan the contents carefully; making sure that he had a hold of Bella's hand the entire time.

A/N-Thanks for reading!


	33. Chapter 33

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-A big __**THANK YOU**__ to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I have read and cherished them all. My new baby is keeping me busy so I have not had much spare time to answer each one personally like I normally try to do! _

_I would like to thank my best friend Michaela for typing up this chapter again for me. Hugs honey! _

_Lastly I would like to give a big __**THANK YOU**__ to all the readers who nominated me and voted for WOLFIE in the JBNP awards. I was so thrilled to win for the 'We Won't Be Young Forever Award' Best Pre Saga Fic. I haven't stopped smiling all day! Sends hugs! Nikki :)_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Seven**

Seth was wandering aimlessly through the forest; he had a lot on his mind. He couldn't stay at home as Sam and Leah were in the middle of an epic argument. Sam had made a derogatory comment about Paul and Leah had innocently defended him. This had sparked off Sam's jealousy and within minutes his sister and Sam were engaged in a bitter standoff. Seth was sick of all the turmoil that had been happening at home lately. Emily was making the place almost untenable with her constant references to Jacob. She was constantly cooking and Seth had been persuaded to taste one of her muffins. He had managed to force one down, but once out of sight he had gagged and brought it up again. They tasted awful. He pitied the poor sap that had to eat her cooking on a daily basis.

His strong, wolf legs pounded through the dense foliage as he ran off his frustrations. The only others who were phased were Embry and Quil. Jared had swapped patrol shifts with Embry as he wanted to spend time with Rachel. Time dragged slowly by as Seth continued to roam about, almost without realising in what direction he had been heading, he found himself near the Swan house. A disturbing scent drifted toward his sensitive nose, it was the sickly sweet stench of vampire. His ears perked forward and he stood immobile, one paw raised in the air as he listened carefully for any sound.

His patience paid off. A minute later he heard voices. He shuffled carefully backwards so he was hidden in tree cover. His scent was heading downwind which enabled him to stay close undetected. Seth strained to hear what was being said, there were at least two vampires in close proximity. His blood froze when he recognised one of the voices. It was Rebecca Black. Wasn't she supposed to be in Denali?

"I thought you said they would be at home by this time?" The voice sounded very young, almost as if belonging to a child.

"I don't understand. When I checked Charlie's schedule he was supposed to be at home. He is not on the rota to work this evening." Rebecca Black said irritably. "They must be in La Push."

"My patience is wearing thin Rebecca." The girlish voice replied, annoyance clear in her tone.

"It is not my fault if they had a sudden change of plan, Jane." Rebecca snapped. "I have upheld my end of the bargain. I sent those letters to the Swan girl. She fell for them hook, line and sinker. She thinks they are from that fool Edward. Are you sure he has been dealt with by the way?"

"He is in Volterra under house arrest. There is no way he will be able to contact his family. The Cullen's have no idea that we know that they have double crossed us." The girl called Jane sounded smug.

"You would not have even known about the Cullen's if I had not warned you," Rebecca snarled. "I took care of that Tanya and her idiot family. Edward was easy to manipulate. He has a thing for that girl my brother drools over."

Quiet reigned for a moment, Seth strained to hear more. Eventually Rebecca and her cohort Jane resumed their conversation. "Aro wants us to monitor the situation from afar for now. He was most displeased that Carlisle chose to betray their friendship. As for the wolf pack..." Jane laughed; it grated on Seth's nerves. "Well once we have the Swan girl...they will be dealt with."

"Not Rachel, you promised me that she would join me." Rebecca asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"Of course my dear, Aro always keeps his promises. He rewards those who are faithful to him. I am curious though, why are you prepared to betray your human family in this way? What about your mother and father? It seems the only one who matters to you is your twin?"

Rebecca took a moment to answer. "Rachel is my sister, my other half. You should know Jane. You made sure your brother Alec was turned once you were changed. As for my parents...they never loved me anyway, it was always Jake this, Jake that and that irritating Bella crashing in on my family..."

"Calm down my dear, tsk you are so aggressive, not a good trait to possess. Don't worry your feelings of betrayal by your family will disappear after a few decades. In fact you will probably forget why you ever felt anything for them in the first place. Come I do not want the Cullen's or the wolves to detect us. We need to cover ourselves." Jane now sounded bored.

The two vampires moved out of earshot. Seth felt his whole body trembling. He needed to get out of there and inform the others. Carefully backing out of his hiding place he loped silently back in the direction of La Push. He had just reached the borders when Jacob Black phased in, his howls of anger reverberating through the air...

XXXXXX

Bella wept on Sarah's shoulder. Her whole body was shaking with her sobs. Charlie hovered next to them, utterly distraught to see his daughter so inconsolable. After Jacob had read through the letters his whole body started to shake. He was so riled up that he was on the verge of phasing. Bella had pleaded with him to forgive her but he was so angry at what the leech had written that he needed to get out of the house, for everyone's safety. His dad was the only one who sensed how upset he was and he nodded at Jacob as he took off for the front door, his outline already blurring. Bella had risen from her seat and stumbled after him, begging for forgiveness. Jacob heard her words but could not respond, he needed to phase urgently. As soon as his feet hit solid dirt he changed into his wolf form. Pieces of his clothes fluttered in his wake as he sprinted for the trees, howling his pain to the sky.

XXXXXX

"Bella, please sweetie you must calm down. Jacob needed to leave, you know that. He is not upset with you. He needs to just vent his anger a little, he will be back soon." Sarah said soothingly as she cuddled Bella in her arms.

"I sh...sh...should have told him about the...the letters. I was worried..." Bella stuttered, tears still leaking from her eyes.

"Listen to Sarah, kiddo." Charlie knelt down beside Bella, patting her on the back.

Billy had slipped outside. He had taken a change of clothes with him, he saw the pieces of Jacob's clothing scattered about like confetti. He scanned the horizon anxiously for any sign that his son was returning. His own mind was whirling, he had read the contents of the letters sent by Edward Cullen and he could not understand why the leech would have the audacity to claim that Bella was his future mate and that he would claim her very soon. Why would he be so open about it? He must have guessed that Bella would tell Jacob or her dad? Surely Carlisle or the little pixie leech, who could see the future, would have seen or heard something?

None of it added up. It was like the letters had been sent deliberately to rile Jacob up and distract him from what was really going on. It had certainly worked. Billy felt his stomach swirl. Something told him in his gut that his daughter Rebecca was behind this latest twist of events. It would not be long before his suspicions were confirmed.

XXXXXX

Embry, Quil and Seth all gathered around their Alpha. Jacob's brain was in turmoil, he projected images in their heads on replay. They saw him reading some letters, his nose being assaulted with leech stink. Their own eyes widened when they saw the contents.

"Edward Cullen is a dead man...I mean leech." Quil thundered through the pack mind.

"Jacob man you have to calm down. Is Bella okay?" Embry asked, he was always the voice of reason.

This question pierced the fog of rage that was swirling through Jacob's mind and he stopped his relentless pacing. "Bells...shit; I never meant to leave her in that state." He berated himself.

"I am sure she will understand Jake, we all need to go back. I can't believe that Cullen freak would send her letters like that. He is so twisted." Embry could still not get his head around what he had seen through the pack mind link.

Seth finally got a word in. "He didn't...I have just come back from Bella's house..."

"What the hell were you doing sniffing around there?" Jacob demanded.

Seth gave a low growl. "You are lucky that I was...look." He projected the image of himself hiding in the undergrowth near the Swan house listening to the conversation between Rebecca and her companion Jane.

"No way, that was Becca? Shit...you're sister is evil bro." Quil thought in disbelief.

Embry butted Quil in the side with his head to shut him up. Jacob was standing still; his head was hurting from all this new information. Becca was behind all this? She was in league with the Volturi leeches? She had fooled them all, including the Cullen's. His mother was going to be devastated once again.

"I need to go home. Seth I am...sorry. Will you please get your sister and Sam to meet us at my house? Quil track down Jared, Rachel is with him. When you have found them, try and locate Paul." Jacob issued his orders on autopilot. He felt sick to his core that his own sister had so willingly colluded with the enemy.

Quil and Seth left to carry out his orders and Embry accompanied him to the Black house. They made their way back in silence as there really was nothing left to say...

XXXXXX

Billy handed the clothes to Jacob as his son emerged from the trees. He loped over to his dad and took them from him gratefully."Bells?"

"She is very upset Jake, but then I guess you know that already. You have to make sure she understands that you are not angry at her. She is in there blaming herself for keeping it from you. Before you go in I want a word..." Billy murmured.

Jacob and Embry both looked at him expectantly. "What is it?"

"Son, those letters, I just don't believe that the Cullen boy wrote them. It seems too obvious, I have a horrible feeling that..." Billy stopped speaking when he saw the look on the boy's faces.

"Dad, I'm sorry, you are right to think that. It was..."

"Becca..." Billy breathed. His chest felt tight and he took a moment to gather his composure. Jacob put a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Your mom is going to be devastated Jake."

"I know, Rachel too. We have to tell them straight away dad. Seth sighted Becca in Forks; it appears she is in the company of one of those Volturi leeches. They know that the Cullen's have been assisting us..." Jacob gave a heavy sigh. "I really need to make things right with Bells, give me a few minutes alone with her first."

Billy nodded. "Go on Jake."

Jacob gave his dad a grateful smile then headed inside to face Bella.

XXXXXX

As soon as she saw him Bella flung herself into his open arms. She buried her head in his chest and began to apologise profusely. Jacob hushed her.

"Honey, you have nothing to apologise for. I let my anger get the better of me. I just needed to clear my head." He whispered softly into her ear.

"I should have told you..." Bella confessed. "I have made things so much worse."

"Yes you should have told me, I understand why you didn't want to worry me, but Bells it is important that I know these things. Stop feeling so guilty about sharing these things with me." Jacob wrapped his arms tight around her; he was just about to kiss her when Charlie cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"What are we going to do about the Cullen leech? I will no longer stand idly by while he upsets my daughter. Carlisle assured me that Edward would be dealt with and kept away from Bella. He has failed to do so, I want..." Charlie was interrupted by Billy entering the room. He saw the devastated look on his old friends face. "Billy, what's wrong?"

Billy made his way over to his wife and sat next to her. Taking her hands in his he looked into her worried eyes.

"Billy, what is it?" Sarah asked, panic clear in her tone.

Bella pulled away from Jacob and gazed over at the two adults. Charlie exchanged a worried glance with his daughter.

"I am so sorry Sarah, its Becca...she has betrayed us all..." Billy informed her sadly, tears beginning to roll down his cheeks.

_A/N-Sob! Thanks for reading!_


	34. Chapter 34

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-Thank you so much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter, your awesome feedback has really kept me motivated. **_

_**A big thank you to Michaela for typing up this chapter so quickly for me, hugs honey! Nikki **_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Eight**

"She is no longer my daughter. I want nothing more to do with her, as far as I am concerned Rebecca Black no longer exists." Sarah said bitterly.

"Sarah...she..." Billy tried to protest.

"No," Sarah shoved her husband's hands away. "Don't you dare try to defend her actions? She has an evil streak in her, Billy. We can't keep glossing over the fact that I gave birth to a monster."

"Mom..."Jacob tried to intervene, but Sarah glared at him fiercely and he fell silent.

No one had heard Rachel enter the house with Jared; they had both stood silent in the doorway, listening in stunned silence as Billy revealed the full truth of Rebecca's betrayal. Rachel flinched when she heard her mother refer to her twin as a monster. She couldn't hold back the hurt that her mother's words invoked in her; after all she had been born only minutes after her sister.

"What does that make me? Am I a monster too?" She cried out, pain clear in her voice.

Everyone swivelled around and stared at Rachel as she gazed over at her mother. Jared had wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady. He was worried that she was going to faint. He had never seen Rachel so distraught.

"Rachel, sweetie, that's not what I meant." Sarah held her arms out to her. "Becca has betrayed us all in the worst possible way. You are nothing like her."

"Of course I am like her, she is my twin. I ask you again, am I a monster too? Will I turn out just like her?" Rachel yelled, her whole body trembling.

Billy stood up and strode over to his distressed daughter. He nodded at Jared, who reluctantly released her, and gave her a comforting hug. "Rach, you chose a long time ago to separate yourself from Becca. She was walking down a dark road from a young age, we could all see it, but refused to acknowledge what was happening because we loved her. You are nothing like your sister; you have always been your own person. You are Rachel Black, my daughter and your mom and I are so proud of you darling."

Rachel burst into tears at her father's words. She clung to him and allowed him to comfort her. Sarah struggled to rise, Charlie hurried over to assist her and he helped her over to her husband and daughter.

"I love you too sweetie. Your old dad is right; we are both so proud of you." Sarah joined her husband in giving Rachel the assurance and love that she needed.

XXXXXX

Jacob and Bella lay side by side on his bed, both mulling over recent events. The pack had just left. Paul and Jared were taking the first patrol shift. Sam and Leah would relieve them in four hours. It had been tense having Sam and Paul in the same room, Leah was constantly trying to keep Sam in check as he shot fierce glares over in Paul's direction. Paul made matters worse by giving Leah a suggestive wink which had caused Leah to march over and slap him hard around the face.

Sam had been ecstatic over her actions, but Jacob was not. He was sick and tired of the petty flirting that Paul seemed determined to engage in with Leah. It seemed that he had still not learned his lesson. Jacob had issued an Alpha command for him to leave and stay phased for twenty four hours. Paul had shot him a resentful glare, but had no choice but to comply.

"Something needs to be done about him Jake. I won't have him sniffing around Lee like this." Sam had demanded.

"I can speak for myself Sam," Leah had interjected resentfully. "Stop trying to take control."

Sam had just been about to issue a retort when Jacob yelled at them to both shut up. "There are more important issues then what is going on between the three of you. Look I have had enough tonight. I want you all to go home; we will have a proper meeting in the morning. Jared, you go and join Paul now for the first patrol shift. Sam, you and Leah can take over after them."

Bella stood up and placed her arms around Jacob's waist. He felt much better when she was touching him, her presence soothed him. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Look guys, it has been a stressful day for all of us. We all need a break..."

Sam nodded. "I'm sorry man, I have to stop letting Lahote get under my skin. I'll see you in the morning. Lee come on we are leaving."He commanded.

Bella caught the resentful look that flashed across Leah's face at Sam's order. It was not the first time he had done that. She sighed; it was obvious that Sam was totally unaware of what he was doing. Now that Leah had phased the dynamic between them had changed irrevocably and it was taking its toll on them. Bella really needed to have a talk with her friend, but now was not the time. Right now, Jacob needed her and she wanted to focus all her attention on him.

One by one the pack left, Embry, Seth and Quil were the last to leave. Once they were gone Jacob and Bella retreated to his room, leaving the adults and Rachel to talk among themselves in the living room.

Jacob looked up at the ceiling, he felt so tired. He was sick of all the drama and worry. Every time that he and Bella tried to spend some time alone together, something else was thrown at them.

"I can't do this anymore, Bells." Jacob admitted eventually.

Bella was alarmed at the defeated tone in his voice. She rolled onto her side and leaned on her elbow so she could gaze down into his dark eyes. "Oh, Jake." She murmured softly.

"It's too hard...it was bad enough before, but now that Becca is now allied with the Volturi..."His voice trailed off as he thought about what this could mean. "What if I am the one who has to end her Bells? She is my sister..."

Bella felt tears prick at her eyes at the utter devastation in his tone. She could not even comprehend how it must feel to know that one day soon he might come face to face with his own sister and have to destroy her. She had placed his whole family in extreme danger through her actions. Bella could still not understand Becca's motives for treating her family in this way. The reasons that Becca had apparently reeled off to her accomplice sounded false to Bella. She was sure there was something else going on with Becca, not just old fashioned hatred.

"I am so sorry Jake; I wish I could make things better. Sometimes I wish we could just both run away from everything..." Bella stroked his cheek and leaned down to kiss his lips, working her mouth against his gently.

Jacob's hand reached up and cupped the back of her head, deepening the kiss. He coaxed Bella's lips apart and she gasped as his tongue met hers. They exchanged heated kisses for a few minutes before Bella reluctantly pulled away. She lay back down next to him and rested her head on his chest, one hand tracing the planes of his muscles idly.

"Do you ever wish sometimes that you had never met me?" Jacob asked after a few minutes of silence.

Bella raised her head in surprise at his question. Her long hair fanned around them both, encasing them in a cocoon. "Why are asking such a stupid question?"

Jacob pulled her closer. He hid his face in her shoulder and took deep breaths to calm himself. Bella could feel his fear communicating itself to her. Underneath it all, he was scared that she would reach a point where she wanted to lead a normal life and leave.

"Jake, "She whispered. "I regret nothing. The best day of my life was when I wandered off and you found me. Do you remember? You kept me warm Jake; you have always kept me safe. I can't imagine my life without you; I don't even want to think about it. I love you and I am not going anywhere."

Jacob's strong arms engulfed her in a tight bear hug and he pulled her on top of him. Their bodies were pressed so close together that there was not an inch of space between them. Bella could feel every part of his muscled body flush against her own. She felt his obvious hard on digging into her hip and she instinctively moved her leg over his body so that she was straddling him. Jacob's breath hitched and his hands moved slowly down her back and into the groove of her waist, the heat from his touch made Bella shudder with anticipation.

So far, in their relationship, they had shared many passionate make out sessions. The rare alone time that they managed to catch together were spent in heated encounters. It was always Bella who put a stop to things when they progressed too far. She was older than Jake and felt that she should be the responsible one. Lately it had been much harder to put the brake on things. She was constantly fighting with what her body instinctively wanted to do, and right now, with Jacob's hands wandering over her body, she was in no mood to put a stop to things. She desired him just as much as he did her.

Jacob felt Bella become pliant in his arms and he took full advantage. His hand slipped under her t-shirt and massaged the skin along her back. He felt her press her breasts along his bare chest and he groaned. His fingers found the clasp of her bra and he snapped it open. Holding his breath momentarily, Jacob waited for Bella to protest, but instead she captured his lips with hers quickly before pulling away and yanking her t-shirt off in one quick movement.

"You're so beautiful honey," He murmured as his dark eyes drank her in. Bella's lips were red and pouty from all the kissing. Her pale skin was smooth and silky under his hands. A faint red flush ran down her chest and into the valley between her breasts.

Bella swallowed nervously, she had never felt so exposed and the heated desire shining from Jacob's eyes was making her whole body heat up with anticipation. They gazed at each other for an instant before Jacob wrapped her in his strong arms and rolled them over so she was lying beneath him. He supported his weight on his arms as he pressed his lips to hers and began to kiss her fervently. Bella's hands began to explore the skin along his taut back and she let her fingers wander along every dip and groove of his muscles.

A knock on the door interrupted them. Jacob gave a low growl. "What do you want?" He yelled.

"Don't shout at me Jake," Rachel's irritated voice came through the door. "You're lucky I said I would come and get you. I can guess what you and Bella are up to. Mom has made some dinner, get your butt out here."

"Damn," Jacob cursed. Bella giggled as he pouted in annoyance. She traced his bottom lip which was poking out.

"You haven't pulled that face since you were six." She gave him a big smile and then pushed on his chest."Come on lover boy, before my dad gets it into his head to come and get me."

"Ugh, don't put that image in my head Bells. Look you go on ahead. I need to visit the bathroom."

Bella pulled her t-shirt back on and gave him a sly grin. He loved it when she looked at him like that. She gave him a wink. "Okay, I'll stall the parents until you are ready. See you in a few."

Jacob matched her grin and watched her leave the room. God, he really loved her. He was now determined more than ever to find somewhere they could be alone with no interruptions. His mood darkened and the grin left his face as he thought about all that he had to deal with the next day, there was the pack meeting and the inevitable confrontation with the Cullen's, they needed to be informed. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he made his way out of his room.

_A/N-Thanks for reading. _


	35. Chapter 35

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Nine**

Jacob took the lead as the pack made their way cautiously up the long, gravel covered driveway of the Cullen mansion. It was so secluded that, being surrounded by dense forest, you would not be able to see it from the main road. After a tense meeting between the elders of the tribe and the pack, Billy had once again contacted Carlisle Cullen and asked for a meeting. The doctor did not seem surprised at all by the call, he sounded as if he was actually expecting it. This made Billy secretly worried, he wanted to accompany the pack to the meeting and assess the coven leader's reactions for himself, but once again Jacob had said no.

"I am the Alpha of this pack dad; we have been through this before. What would it look like if I had to bring you to hold my hand every time I faced them?" He said irritably.

Billy knew that his son was right. "I know Jake; you have to understand that your old man will always worry about you, no matter what age you are."

Jacob had offered him a tired smile. His eyes wandered over to Bella like they always did. "Stay here honey, promise?" He asked her like he did every time.

"Yes, I promise. My dad will be here too, just go so you can hurry back." She gave him am anxious look, biting her bottom lip in agitation.

Jacob held out his arms and Bella leapt up from her chair instantly, stumbling her way toward him. As soon as she was near he scooped her up and cradled her close to his body."I love you," He whispered so only she could hear.

Winding her arms around his neck, Bella pulled his head down to hers and kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you too, be careful."

"Always," Jacob leaned his forehead on hers and stared intently into her eyes.

Charlie cleared his throat, breaking the spell they were both under. "The others are waiting Jake." He informed him.

Jacob sighed and dropped his arms from around Bella, he backed away always keeping her in his line of sight, before he turned and headed out the door.

XXXXXX

Jacob took a good, long look at the place the Cullen's called home. The house was painted a soft, faded white. It was three stories tall, rectangular and well proportioned. The windows and doors were either part of the original structure or a perfect restoration. The sound of running water indicated that there was a river close by.

Jacob glanced back at Sam, who shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. The other pack members were gathered close behind them, all staring up at the big mansion.

"I wonder where they keep the coffins." Quil said jokingly, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.

"Must have a big basement," Seth replied. Leah frowned and elbowed her brother. "What was that for?"

"This is serious Seth," she snapped.

Sam was by her side in an instant. He slipped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "You and Seth will be staying out here, just stay hidden in the trees okay."

Leah pulled away and glared at him."NO we are going in too."

"Look Lee, you need to be kept safe. I won't have you put in any danger for no reason. Don't argue with me over this again?" Sam took her face between his hands and stroked her cheek.

"I am part of this pack too. You can't keep ordering me about. I am not a fragile little girl Sam." Leah pulled her head out of his grasp and stepped back straight into Paul Lahote.

Paul gave a sly grin and steadied her with his arms. This caused Sam to growl in anger and he made as if to hit Paul.

"Come on Uley, show Leah what you're really like. You just don't know how to treat a girl, do you? I would never tell her what to do ever." Paul baited him.

Leah wrestled out of Paul's hold and went over to Sam, placing a hand on his chest. She could feel the rapid beating of his heart as he tried to get himself under control. "Don't do this Sam, not here." She warned him.

Jacob turned as he heard the commotion. His eyes narrowed in irritation as he saw the cause of all the ruckus. "Lahote you will be staying outside. Sam get over yourself, Lee is right, she is part of the pack and you have to accept the fact that she is not a fragile human. Seth you can stay out here with Paul and keep watch." The alpha command made them all bend to his will. He caught the resentful glance that Seth threw his way, but he was too preoccupied to care.

"Thank you Jake," Leah said in gratitude. She did not bother to look at Sam; she could feel his annoyance through their imprint bond. He was pissed that Jacob had overruled him, but there was nothing he could do when an Alpha command had been given. She was going to have to sit him down and have a serious talk with him, hopefully without all the shouting. He needed to learn that she could take care of herself. As for Paul, she watched as he followed Seth toward the surrounding trees anger clear in all his movements, she had no idea what to do about him...

Jacob took a deep breath and looked around remaining pack members. "Are you ready?" He checked one last time.

Embry hit him on the shoulder. "We're ready."

One by one the others nodded. Jacob turned and led the way up toward the imposing mansion, tension clear in every move he made.

XXXXXX

Before they had even reached the front door it was opened by the coven leader, Carlisle Cullen. He was dressed in an expensively cut suit, not a hair out of place. All of the pack held their breaths as the sickly, sweet stench assaulted their noses. Quil made a gagging noise and Jake turned to glare at him. Carlisle did not seem in the least annoyed by Quil's reaction, he just gestured for them all to come in.

Jacob gave him a curt nod and entered first, the other's hot on his heels. They were shown into a large, open plan interior. It was light and airy. It must have once consisted of several rooms, but the walls had been removed from most of the first floor to create one wide space. The back, south facing wall had been entirely replaced with glass, and, beyond the shade of the cedars, the lawn stretched immaculately down to a wide river. A massive curving staircase dominated the other side of the room. The walls, the high beamed ceiling, the wooden floors and thick carpets were all varying shades of white, on a raised portion of the floor stood a grand piano.

"What do you think?" Carlisle asked Jacob politely.

"I am not here to discuss your decor. Where are the rest of your family?" He asked bluntly.

Carlisle's whole demeanour changed. He dropped the pleasant host act and he became all businesslike as he realised this was the stance that Jacob wanted to take. "They are coming down now. I thought it best to give yourselves a moment to acclimatise to the, shall we say, odour that you find so unpleasant."

"They hardly smell much better themselves." A cool female voice came drifting down the stairs. The pack turned in that direction and watched a blonde female, wearing a low cut halter neck top and tight fitting jeans ascend the stairs. Her skin was as pale as Carlisle's and her lips were painted a ruby red. She glanced at the pack disdainfully and moved gracefully to sit over on one of the armchairs.

"Rosalie there is no need to be so rude," Carlisle protested mildly.

Rosalie shot him a disdainful glance as a loud chuckle made them all jump. A burly looking male barrelled into the room and flung himself down next to the blonde. He was as muscular as Jacob, but his hair was a dull brown. "Ah ignore Rose, she never liked dogs."

"Shut up Emmet." Rosalie reprimanded him. He just laughed at her again.

The next to enter the room was Carlisle's mate Esme. She wandered over to him gracefully and slipped her arm through his. Her heart shaped face was surrounded by a billow of caramel coloured hair. She smiled at them all shyly. "Can I get any of you anything to eat?" She offered politely.

Jacob shook his head no. He saw her crestfallen face, out of all the vamps, she seemed the most inoffensive. "No thank you, we have all already eaten." He said eventually.

Esme gave him an understanding smile and nestled closer to her mate. Last to enter the room was the little pixie vamp, who could purportedly see the future. Her short, black hair was gelled close to head and she was towing her mate by the hand. Jasper did not speak; he just nodded at the wolves and stood stiffly by Alice's side, silently observing them all.

"Well I am sure that you remember everyone from the last meeting. Unfortunately my other son, Edward..."

"Look we know what has happened to Edward, and, by the look on your faces I believe that you have an idea where he is. " Jacob came straight to the point.

Esme gave a small gasp and stared over at Jacob. Carlisle gave a sigh and nodded. "How did you find out that he was in Volterra?" He dropped all pretence of ignorance.

"More to the point, why did you not inform us of the latest developments?" Jacob demanded.

"Because he thinks that you are all too young and temperamental to handle the truth." Rosalie said, sounding extremely bored.

Jacob narrowed his eyes. "Is this true?"

"No," Carlisle shot Rosalie a warning glare. "I did not keep things from you deliberately, I just thought for your own safety the less you knew the better. We are dealing with a very delicate situation. I have no idea what you think you know, but it appears now is the time to reveal what has occurred. Please will you all sit down at least while I explain."

Jacob felt uncomfortable accepting any hospitality from the Cullen's, however he gestured for the pack to sit down. They all sat crowded together, Leah in the middle. She rolled her eyes at their attempts to shield her.

"We are listening." Jacob prompted, waiting for Carlisle to fill them in.

XXXXXX

"We have been monitoring the situation in Volterra for the last few years. Alice has been doing her best to keep a close eye on Aro's decisions. However my communications with him over the last few months have become erratic. His friendly tone has changed and he was beginning to probe deeper into what was going on in this area. I could tell he was becoming suspicious about my motives and that he no longer trusted that I was impartial and working in his best interests. The 'so called 'information I was sending him was not enough, so very recently he sent some of his most trusted delegates to snoop around Forks. Their leader goes by the name of Jane. She appears to be harmless when you look at her, a fragile little girl, but she is one of Aro's most deadly spies. She can render a person in agony merely by thinking about it. She has been accompanied by Felix, a stupid but very strong member of the Volturi guard."

"Alice saw Aro make the decision to send them so we put our own plan into action. I recalled Edward and your sister Rebecca back from Denali." Carlisle revealed.

There were gasps around the room at this piece of news. Jacob rose from his seat and glared over at Carlisle, his face thunderous. "You are the reason my sister allied herself with the enemy." His voice thundered through the spacious room.

Carlisle appeared unruffled by his reaction. He stood too and faced him down. "I think you are under a misapprehension. Rebecca, come out here, please."

All eyes turned in the direction of the staircase as Rebecca Black appeared. She descended them slowly, her eyes locked on her brother the whole time. Jacob felt his whole body begin to shake at the sight of her. "Becca?" He breathed.

"Jacob, "Rebecca said timidly. She made her way to Carlisle's side and waited for him to continue speaking. Her hands tugged at the ends of her lustrous black hair, her golden eyes kept glancing over at her brother.

Esme put a comforting arm around her and led her to sit next to Rosalie and Emmet.

"What the hell is going on?" Jacob asked, his head whirling with all the new information. Was his sister innocent after all?

"Jane knows Rebecca, after all she unfortunately revealed all about you and the spirit wolves to the Volturi when she travelled to Italy with James, Victoria and Laurent. They are under the impression that Rebecca still harbours hatred for her family. She was our best chance at infiltrating the delegates and finding out their intentions. She has done a remarkable job, Jane trusts her implicitly." Carlisle said softly.

Jacob felt tears prick at his eyes as he turned them on his sister. He swallowed down the bile in this throat at the thought of how scared she must have been to face the Volturi guard again. The pack was silent as they watched their Alpha approach his sister. He knelt down before her and hesitantly held out his arms to embrace her. A dry sob tore from Rebecca's throat as she flung herself in her brother's arms and let him comfort her.

"I am so sorry Becca..." Jacob said over and over as she shook in his arms.

XXXXXX

The tense atmosphere in the Cullen mansion dissipated after the truth had been revealed about Rebecca. Jacob did not leave her side as she shared the details of her experiences with Jane and her accomplice. Edward had allowed himself to be captured and sent to Volterra, as he could read minds he was in the best position to relay information back to Alice who had an innate connection to him. She could see how the decisions that Aro and the other leaders made impacted on his future and thereby gave them further insight into what was occurring in the heart of the enemy camp.

"Why would Edward do all this? He has placed himself in extreme danger, what does he get out of it?" Sam asked the question that they were all thinking.

Carlisle exchanged a look with his mate, Esme. "Edward is in love with Bella." He revealed.

A collective growl sounded from each pack member. Rebecca felt her brother begin to shake and she placed a cold hand on his arm. "He knows that nothing can come of it Jacob. I have spent a lot of time with him. He has never felt this way about anyone before, but his one overwhelming feeling is protectiveness. He will not allow them to harm her and that is to our advantage. Remember we are all on the same side here."

Jacob felt his anger slip away. He believed what his sister was saying but a gut instinct told him that when this was all over he would one day end up in a confrontation with Edward Cullen. He regained control and turned his attention back to Carlisle. "Is that everything? Is there anything else we should know?"

"Yes that is all. At the present time Aro has instructed Jane to remain hidden and watch and wait. The wheels turn slowly in Volterra. It could be another year or two before Aro and the others decide to take any action. I promise to keep you informed about any developments. You have proved to me today that you have grown into a strong and wise leader Jacob Black, I apologise for underestimating you. Rebecca chastised me for that on more than one occasion."

Jacob exchanged a wry look with his sister. He held out his hand to Carlisle and the doctor took it gratefully as they shook hands to seal their promise.

XXXXXX

Jacob was grateful to get home that night. A load had been taken off his heart at the knowledge that his sister had not betrayed them after all. When he had told his parents and Rachel, they had sat in stunned silence. Bella had wrapped her arms around him in joy at the knowledge that Rebecca was on their side all along, she had never believed the reasons she had given to Jane about why she hated her family so much. Sarah had wept with this newfound knowledge and it wasn't until she was able to speak to Rebecca on the phone that she calmed down. The phone was then passed to Billy and then finally Rachel as they all poured out their love for the wayward member of their family.

_**A/N-Phew, that was an overly emotional chapter. Is it bad that I cried while I wrote this? So Becca is on her family's side after all? What do you think about Edward now? Do you think he is actually working in the pack's best interests in Volterra or do you think he has his own agenda? **_

_**Well as Carlisle told Jake and the pack, time passes slowly in Volterra so Aro and the others could take a couple of years before they decide to proceed with their plans. At the moment Jane's brief is to remain close by and watch and wait. **_

_**For the next couple of chapters I am going to concentrate on the pack and what is happening among them. What will happen between Leah and Sam, why is Paul so hell-bent on causing trouble between them? What about Seth and his feelings for Bella? Maybe Embry may meet someone *winks* and what about Quil and Emily? All these questions will be answered in future chapters...although the main one should be when will poor Jake and Bella get their much needed alone time? LOL **_

_**Nikki :)**_


	36. Chapter 36

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Ten**

Leah and Sam lay next to each other in bed; they had just made love and were relaxing in their post coital bliss. Sam turned onto his side and gazed down at Leah, his hand wandered along her smooth, naked back as she lay on her front. Her eyes closed as she enjoyed the sensations of his warm fingers running up and down her skin.

"I'm sorry Lee," Sam murmured softly. "I really am."

Leah sighed and rolled onto her back so that she could look up at him. His forehead was creased with worry lines and he looked anxious. All of his emotions were communicating themselves to her. He had been apologising profusely on and off ever since she had revealed how much he had been hurting her by his actions.

"Sam, stop saying sorry. It's over with now, I should have told you from the beginning, but like you I can be rather stubborn." Leah slapped him on the shoulder playfully and he finally smiled.

"I know that I am not that great at expressing how I feel sometimes. I tend to shut down when things get too much...when you phased it was just so hard. My instinct is to protect you Lee and now..."His voice trailed off.

Leah stroked his cheek tenderly; she gave him an encouraging smile. "Go on," she whispered.

Sam gazed at her intently. He shifted so that he could wrap her up in his arms and hold her close. "I just love you so much. It's hard for me to handle when I think that you could be in danger. I know that you can look after yourself, I do. You're my woman and I just want to protect you and now I have to go against my instincts and watch you place yourself in danger...do you know what I am trying to say?"

Leah nestled into his strong embrace."I know, it's been hard for us both to adjust to the new dynamic. We are both good at hiding our thoughts from each other Sam, even when we are phased. I think we have been misreading what has been happening between us and of course Paul has been enjoying stirring things up. I think it has all made us a little crazy. If something is bothering us we need to talk it out Sam, promise me?"

Sam rolled onto his back, pulling Leah on top of him. "Yes I promise, especially if this is where we end up."

Leah giggled as she sat up, straddling his body. "Definitely..."

Sam pulled her back down again and captured her lips with his in a loving kiss.

XXXXXX

Harry sat next to his son. They both had fishing rods in their hands as they were on a spontaneous fishing excursion after Sue expressed a desire for fresh fish for dinner. It was really just an excuse for Harry to get his son alone and have a talk with him. Both he and his wife had become increasingly concerned about Seth. The bright, happy young boy they remembered had turned into a withdrawn, melancholy young man. He hardly spent time with his family anymore, only to eat dinner. He would then retreat to his room and shut the door.

Sue had asked Leah what she thought was troubling her son. At first Leah had been reluctant to betray her brother's confidence, but she too had been worried about him lately. He hardly mixed with the pack or anyone else when he was not patrolling or had to attend meetings. He had become very solitary and withdrawn, even when phased he shielded his thoughts with an iron will. The only person that Leah saw him open up to was Bella. She could get him to smile and laugh on the rare occasions that Jacob was not by Bella's side.

"I think Sethy's crush on Bella goes deeper than any of us realised mom. We all treat him like a young kid, but he isn't. Jake won't let Seth near Bella; he is very protective of her. He knows that Seth has feelings for her; she has even spoken to Seth about his crush on her. It's just all such a mess mom..." Leah had revealed.

"I know that was hard for you sweetheart, but your dad and I have been worried about Sethy. Now that I have some idea what could be the cause of it...well I think some father/son bonding time is in order." Sue gave her daughter a rare hug.

"Mom, please make sure that dad doesn't treat Sethy like a kid. He really isn't anymore."Leah had reminded her.

"I promise. Your dad will know how to handle it." Sue had said with a confidence she didn't really feel.

A tug on the end of Harry's line made him jump. He pulled on it hard and yanked a gleaming fish clear out of the water. Droplets sprayed in the air and Seth stood up and caught the wriggling fish in the net while Harry unhooked it from the end of the line.

"Your mom is going to be happy with this one." Harry said as he inspected their first catch of the day.

"Whatever..." Seth sat back down and stared back out over the lake, his eyes once again far away.

Harry settled back down next to him. He took a deep breath and plunged straight in. "I'm worried about you Seth..."

"Why?" Seth asked sounding completely uninterested.

"Because you seem so...unhappy, talk to me son, maybe I can help." Harry offered.

Seth frowned. "Have you been talking to Leah?" He snapped.

"NO...I am worried about you. You are my youngest and I have noticed how withdrawn you've been. Has this got something to do with your crush on Bella?"

Seth stood up quickly; the camping chair he was sitting on fell backwards. "Crush...yeah that's right, it has to be a pathetic teenage crush? I mean how could I possibly have real feelings for Bella, I'm too young. Too young for anything! Well tell me this, dad, how come I have been in love with Bella Swan for years, huh? If this was just a stupid crush, than wouldn't I be over it by now? I am not even allowed to be friends with her because Jake won't even let me speak to her. The pack treats me like a child, even though I phased way before some of the older ones. I can't make friends my own age because I am carrying this huge secret around with me; I have nothing in common with them. Everyone in the pack has someone to hang out with or is in a relationship. The only person who ever gets me is Bella and now I can't even hang out with her."

Harry watched as his son stood before him shaking with suppressed emotion. Tears were gleaming in the corners of Seth's eyes as he let out all that had been bothering him over the last few months. He took deep calming breaths to try and stop himself phasing in front of his dad.

"I am just so lonely, dad." Seth finally admitted.

Harry stood and walked over to his son. "Oh Seth, I had no idea you were feeling like this. I am so sorry."

Seth looked up at his dad."What am I going to do, dad?" He whispered.

Harry reached up and put his hand on Seth's shoulder. His son was so tall and muscular now, just like all the boy's in the pack were. His height and looks belied his age. "We will work something out son, I promise. The first step was admitting how you felt. It does no one any good bottling up their emotions. You can always talk to me; I will always be here to listen and try to help."

Seth gave his dad a grim smile and nodded. "Thanks," he said as he wiped away a stray tear running down his cheek.

Harry patted Seth's shoulder in sympathy. "Now help your old man to pack up this fishing gear and then we can try and work out some sort of solution."

XXXXXX

Embry picked up the shopping and stuffed it into several bags. He hardly glanced at the girl behind the counter who was operating the till. She was new; Old Quil had hired her to cover some of his shifts. He had been feeling his age of late and his grandson, Quil, was too busy with the pack now to take on as many shifts as he used to do.

"How much do I owe you?" Embry asked, rooting around in his short's pocket for loose change.

"Nothing, you live with the Clearwater's right? Old Quil said that they have a tab so I expect they will clear up any expenses by the end of the week." The girl said shyly.

"Right...thanks for that," Embry finally looked up at the girl. Her eyes instantly dropped from admiring him as she looked down at the counter in front of her. Embry smiled to himself, he was used to girl's ogling him."Hey, what's your name? You're new, aren't you?"

The girl's cheeks flushed a dull red as he acknowledged her. She bit her lip nervously and kept her eyes riveted to the spot on the counter. Her long, shiny black hair slipped around her face as she tried to hide."Kim...my name is Kim."

Embry gave her one of his endearing grins. "Well Kim, I'm Embry, nice to meet you...I come in here a lot, maybe I will see you again soon."

Kim gave him a shy smile, although she still refused to look at him directly. "I would like that very much." She said softly.

"Great..." Embry picked up the shopping and strode confidently out of the store. He felt Kim's eyes following him and he chuckled to himself.

XXXXXX

Jacob put the finishing touches to the charm he was making for Bella. His mother had given him a silver bracelet that she had inherited from her mother, which she never wore. He wanted to give something special to Bella to show how much he loved her. They had both been through so much lately and she had been a tower of strength to him. He held up the wooden charm for his dad's inspection.

Billy smiled and nodded at his son. "I told you that you had talent for carving, but you wouldn't listen to your old man...its wonderful Jake, she will love it."

Jacob studied the little russet red wolf charm that he had made. It was the exact replica of his wolf. He attached it to the simple, silver bracelet and put it carefully in the presentation box. "I'm going to go and give to to her now, see you later dad and...Thanks."

Billy gave him a wink and laughed as he watched Jacob literally sprint out of the house.

XXXXXX

Bella opened the front door before Jacob had even knocked. She laughed at his shocked expression. "I always sense it when you are coming to see me." She explained before he had a chance to speak.

Jacob shrugged his shoulders. "I know, sometimes it would be nice to be able to surprise you occasionally."

"Aww...you always surprise me, Jacob. Why do I feel that you are nervous about something? What's happened?" Bella became concerned as she felt Jacob's emotions surge through her.

"Nothing's wrong, where's your dad?"

"Out the back he is trying to tame the wildness that is our garden." Bella gazed at him anxiously. "Are you sure nothing's wrong?"

"No...I just have something for you. Can we go in?" Jacob was feeling increasingly anxious. He really hoped that Bella was going to like his present.

"Oops sorry..." Bella turned around and led the way into the house, Jacob following close behind.

They walked in to the living room and Bella sat down on the sofa. She patted the spot next to her and he perched on the seat beside her so that he was facing her directly.

"I love you..." Jacob declared, his voice sounded loud in the silent house.

Bella reached out and took one of his hands in her own. She laced her fingers with his and gazed up at him curiously. Why was he so nervous? "I love you too, Jake."

"I have a present for you, I mean I know you hate presents but I made this for you. " Jacob pulled the box out of his pocket and handed it over to Bella.

Bella stared at the long box. "Jake, you didn't have to do this..."

"Open it honey, please." Jacob said softly.

Bella gave him a tremulous smile and opened the box; her hand shook slightly as she pulled out the silver charm bracelet, as she held it up in front of her she caught sight of the wooden wolf charm dangling from it. "You made this? You made me a replica of Wolfie..." Tears of happiness began to leak out of Bella's eyes as she studied the delicate charm.

"Yeah...do you want me to put it on for you, honey?" Jacob gave her a big grin. A wide smile lit up her beautiful face and an overwhelming feeling of happiness made them both feel giddy.

Bella handed Jacob the bracelet and watched as he carefully put it on her left wrist and snapped the clasp shut. "This means that there will always be a part of me that is with you, even when we are apart."

"I love you so much Jake, this has to be the best present that I have ever had." Bella crawled onto Jacob's lap and hugged him to her tightly.

"I love you too, Bells." Jacob's arms wrapped around her as he pressed his lips to hers and they shared a loving kiss.

_**A/N-Thanks for reading! **_

_**A few readers have sent me PM's about this story, the main theme seems to be that I am spending too much time focusing on all the wolf pack and not just about Jake and Bella. There are so many amazing characters among the wolf pack and they are an integral part of Jacob and Bella's life within this story. All of their lives are interwoven together and I wanted to show how all their lives are interlinked. **_

_**I hope that you are all still willing to share this journey with me and thanks for all of your support! **_

_**Nikki **_


	37. Chapter 37

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-A big thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, your wonderful reviews keep me motivated! Nikki :)_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Eleven**

The light from the bonfire cast a warm glow over the gathered crowd. It was Jacob's sixteenth birthday and Bella had been secretly organising the celebrations for weeks. Their time together had been limited recently due to the constant patrols that each pack member was forced to endure. Along with the fact that the younger ones were still attending the tribal school, they were all weary. However Jacob was not prepared to take any chances, especially when it came to Bella's safety. The Cullen's had kept their end of the bargain and fed them a stream of updates on the situation with the Volturi.

It seemed that Jane had been recalled back to Italy. She had not been able to find any deception on the part of the Cullen's. Rebecca had played her dual role well and managed to convince Jane that she was keeping an eye on the Cullen's and was fulfilling her role as a spy for the Volturi. It was a load off everyone's mind. Carlisle had said all they could now do was watch and wait. He reiterated that it could take years before the Volturi moved forward with their schemes. Time meant nothing to them as they had an eternity of it. He expressed gratitude toward the wolf pack for giving them the trust that they needed to proceed with their plans.

Jacob had been shocked when he had turned up at First beach; he had taken the last patrol and had no idea that Embry was actually distracting him so that he could be kept out of the way while Bella, with a lot of help from the other pack members, put together a feast. Everyone was in attendance, the only two who were not there were Paul and Seth. They had actually offered to take on patrolling the borders while everyone else celebrated their Alpha's birthday.

Bella had managed to find a brief window of time to thank Seth for his selflessness. Harry had informed her dad about how low Seth was feeling, this had been relayed back to Bella and she had felt awful. The first chance that she got, Bella had a long talk with Jacob about how the youngest member of the pack was feeling. He had been shocked to hear just how unhappy Seth Clearwater was. Jacob was a fair minded person, he conceded to Bella that he had been overprotective of her because of Seth's obvious feelings for her; he knew in his heart that they would never be reciprocated. It was hard for him to admit to her that it was old fashioned jealousy that was making him keep Seth away from her.

After an intense conversation between them, Jake had agreed that Seth could spend some time with Bella, as friends. He had also backed down and started to give the younger pack member more responsibility within the pack dynamic. This had improved Seth's confidence and mood considerably, being able to spend some free time with Bella also improved his temperament, as a result the tension within the pack eased. The only person still causing problems was Paul. He continued to butt heads with Jacob and Sam, he refused to take a direct order and this resulted in Jacob having to issue more Alpha commands than he was comfortable with. No one could understand his constant refusal to integrate within the pack. Leah made sure she gave him a wide berth, her relationship with Sam was back on track and the last thing she wanted to do was have Paul come between them, although he refused to give up on his pursuit of her.

XXXXXX

Jacob was ecstatic when he saw all the preparations that Bella had made for him. He had pulled her up into a tight bear hug and swung her around. She had clutched onto his wide shoulders, throwing her head back, giggling. Jacob had then wrapped his strong arms around her and proceeded to give her a passionate kiss. It was only the loud throat clearing from Charlie that had separated them.

"Is your old man gonna be here all night, Bells?" Jacob whispered in her ear.

"Not for long, your dad promised that the adults would go home early." Bella had whispered, she nipped at his ear teasingly and felt a tremor of pleasure run through her body as he pressed his closer to hers.

"Good, when this night is over honey, I want to show how much I love you. I don't want to wait anymore." Jacob's warm breath caressed Bella's skin and she pulled back and gazed intently into his dark eyes.

"Yes, I think we have waited long enough. I love you." Bella rested her head against his broad chest and closed her eyes in contentment.

"I love you too, Bells." Jacob pressed his lips briefly to hers, well aware that Charlie was still in attendance. He could wait a few more hours.

XXXXXX

The bonfire finally died and the beach was plunged into darkness. The only light was from a few glow sticks that had been placed strategically around the beach. Most of the partygoers had gone home. Embry had brought his new girlfriend Kim to the party. She had seemed so shy, but had gradually relaxed when Bella had put her at ease. It was obvious that Embry was smitten, Jacob was sure that his friend had imprinted on the girl. However he had not had the opportunity to patrol with Embry for a while and he was keeping things close to his chest, not revealing the extent of his infatuation. All of the pack members had learned to keep their innermost thoughts hidden from the pack mind over the years. It was only on occasions that one or two of them would slip up.

Sam and Leah were the last to leave; they were so lovesick it was making the others grimace. Their bond had increased since they had finally opened up to each other. Embry had admitted to Jacob that they were becoming as bad as him and Bella. Jacob had just laughed and punched Embry on the shoulder.

"Good for them. It has been so peaceful since they made up...well except for Paul still being an ass." Jacob mused.

"You don't have to live with Leah; she has been so cheerful lately that it is scary." Embry confided.

"Like you and Kim?" Jacob couldn't stop himself from giving his friend a sly dig.

"Whatever man, I am going to take my girl home. Enjoy yourself bro." Embry had winked and slinked off to rejoin Kim.

"Oh I intend to." Jacob had murmured as he turned to go and find Bella.

XXXXXX

Bella was in the midst of storing his presents away carefully. His parents had presented him with the keys to a car he had been after for a while. It was an old classic VW rabbit. It still needed work doing to it, but Jacob had become a skilled mechanic over the years. He found working on old cars relaxing and taught himself how to take almost any engine apart and put it back together. He had enough practise just keeping Bella's beloved Chevy truck on the road.

Jacob watched Bella for a moment, she was so engrossed in what she was doing she hadn't t realised he had snuck up behind her. His arms slipped around her waist and he yanked her back against his taut body. She squealed in surprise and wriggled in his arms, until she was facing him.

"Jake that was unfair; I nearly had a heart attack." She said playfully.

Jacob chuckled quietly and dropped his head to her neck. He began to place seductive kisses along her collarbone, gently caressing her skin with his warm tongue. Bella gave a satisfied sigh. "You are so good at that," She whispered as he continued to kiss her neck until he finally reached her lips.

"Good, thanks for the best birthday party I ever had." His mouth began to move against hers and Bella whimpered as he ran his hands up and down her back, massaging her skin in slow soothing circles.

"Are you ready for your present now?" Bella murmured as she broke their intense kiss. She looked into Jacob's dark eyes and gasped as she saw the heated desire emanating from them.

"What did you have in mind?" He asked her, his voice husky with emotion.

Bella raised her eyebrows at him and gave him a deep kiss. His arms automatically encircled her waist again and he pulled her body flush against his. "Does that give you some idea?" She winked at him.

"Hell yeah..." Jacob couldn't take his eyes away from Bella's. Her pale skin was luminous in the light reflected from the dying embers of the bonfire. Her hair was tousled and her chocolate brown eyes were filled with love for him. He was consumed by her.

Bella caught his hand in hers and began to lead him away from the bonfire and back toward his house.

XXXXXX

Bella had decorated the garage with fairy lights placed strategically around the interior. The VW rabbit had been moved to the back of the garage to create more space in the middle. Leah had helped her haul the airbed inside and they had packed a picnic hamper with drinks and some snacks. The pack's appetite for food was legendary. The lights cast a soft glow around the interior. Jacob was entranced as he looked around the transformed garage.

"You did all this?" He asked in wonder.

Bella bit her bottom lip, suddenly nervous. "Well Lee helped me a bit. Is it okay?"

Jacob gave her a smouldering look that made her skin catch on fire. "It is more than alright...come here honey."

Bella moved over to him and felt him wrap his arms around her. Closing her eyes in contentment she laid her head against his chest and listened to the rapid beating of his heart. They began to sway from side to side, almost as if they were listening to a song only they could hear.

"Remember when I sang 'My Girl' to you in the diner?" Jacob said softly. One of his hands travelled down her back and found its way under her halter neck top. It was not something she normally would have worn, but Leah had persuaded her to try something different. The dark blue top accentuated her pale skin and showed off her delicate shoulders. It clung to her small breasts and Jacob had not been able to take his eyes off of her all night. She was so beautiful.

"I remember, "Bella felt his lips ghost over hers teasingly and she gazed up at him, entranced by his sexy smile.

Jacob let her go and spun her round as if the song was really playing and they were dancing to it. He then pulled her back against him and Bella moaned as his mouth captured hers and he coaxed her lips apart. Their tongues met and they explored each other's mouths in another heated kiss.

Bella pulled away, her breath was coming in pants, her cheeks flushed with desire. "Happy birthday, Jacob."

"I love you, Bells." Jacob whispered. He reached out and took her hand in his.

"I love you too..." Bella stood on her tiptoes and gave him another gentle kiss on the lips

"Are you ready, honey?"Jacob began to lead her toward the airbed.

"Hell, yeah..." Bella echoed his words from earlier making him laugh. He gave her one of his sunny grins as he lifted her up into his arms bridal style and carried her the rest of the way.

_A/N-Thanks for reading!_

_Please note this is only the first part of Jake and Bella's night together. There will be lemons in the next chapter as Jake and Bella finally get to enjoy their alone time! _

_Nikki_


	38. Chapter 38

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**A/N-Please note this chapter does contain lemons, so if you really don't like reading stuff like that then skip the chapter up until the XXXX's. Thanks, Nikki **

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Twelve**

The garage was lit from within by the soft glow of the fairy lights. The early morning light was beginning to filter through the one window casting shadows across the naked forms lying supine on the airbed placed in the middle of the room. Clothes were scattered about the floor as though they had been hastily removed and dropped carelessly without thought. The food and drink that Bella had so carefully packed the night before had long since been consumed.

Jacob was lying spooned behind Bella, one arm flung across her body and his fingers laced with hers. Her head was resting on his other arm and their legs were entwined, not an inch of space between their bodies. His eyelids began to flutter open as the dim light pierced his eyes. Squinting momentarily until his vision adjusted, Jacob finally woke fully, a lazy smile forming on his lips as he gazed at the beauty lying beside him. Images of the night before replayed in his mind, Bella had certainly given him a birthday to remember. God, he loved her so much. It had all been well worth the wait.

Bella's shiny, thick chestnut hair was fanned out around her. Jacob released his hold on her hand and ran his fingers through the silky strands, gently untangling any snarls. Her pale skin was luminous in the faint light and his fingers travelled to her face as he gently stroked her cheek. He felt her take a deep breath as she began to stir. He saw a faint blush tint her cheeks as she shifted around sleepily and pressed her sweet ass right into his already hardened member. He groaned quietly as he leaned down and moved her hair to one side so he could press his lips to her exposed neck. His mouth trailed warm kisses down to her collarbone and he felt her move instinctively closer to him, making him feel even more aroused. Bella's eyes were still shut, Jacob was wondering whether she was really awake and teasing him with the way she was unconsciously moving next to him, pressing her body against his and rubbing herself along his heated skin.

"Two can play at that game, honey." he murmured.

Bella pouted, although her eyes were still tightly shut. Jacob couldn't keep the smirk from his face, so she was testing him? He would do the same. Very slowly he began to kiss down her shoulder and along the top of her chest, Bella gave out a faint whimper as his wandering mouth reached the underside of her breast and his tongue caressed her nipple before he took her breast into his mouth and sucked on it. Bella's eyes flew open and she gave a delighted squeal as he continued his ministrations. His hand reached up and caressed her other breast, the alternating sensations were becoming too much for Bella to handle as her breath came out in short pants.

"Ja...cob..."Her voice was laced with desire as he continued to stroke and play with her breasts. "You're cheating..."

Jacob chuckled at her words as he felt her hands grip his hair hard and tug at the ends as he moved downward from her breasts and used his tongue and lips to torture her further. His heated touches were making her skin feel like it was on fire as she tried to stop herself from moaning his name out loud so all of La Push could hear her.

Bella watched as he began to caress her sides with his warm hands. The feel of his skin on hers was driving her crazy with desire. She had often dreamed of what it would be like to be with Jacob in this way, but none of her fantasies had ever lived up to the reality. His mouth had reached her inner thighs and she instinctively parted them for him as he explored her with his teasing fingers and skilful tongue.

"Jake...oh my god ...JACOB!" Bella couldn't keep from yelling his name as he brought her to orgasm just from his touch.

Jacob pulled away from her slightly; the cool air drifted between their bodies and goose pimples peppered Bella's skin at the loss of his warmth.

"Did you like that, honey?" Jacob said huskily as he hovered above her, staring deeply into her eyes.

Bella gave him a wicked smile. Her breathing had finally calmed down, now it was her turn to tease him. Without warning she reached out and grabbed hold of his erection and squeezed gently, running her small fingers along his length. The smug smile was wiped from his face as he groaned as he let her explore and caress him.

"Damn, you're so good at that, Bells..." he muttered as she increased the pressure.

Bella loved the expression on his face as she continued to stroke him. The sounds he was making were urging her on and she felt her own passion heating up yet again. How was that possible? They had already made love twice in a matter of hours. This was beyond anything either of them had ever imagined.

"Bells stop," Jacob commanded suddenly. Bella immediately froze.

"Jake?"

Jacob closed his eyes briefly, trying to regain control, his whole body felt like it was on fire and he was already close to the edge. He turned his dark eyes onto Bella and she gasped at the naked passion flaring from his. "I really need you, honey." he whispered.

"I need you too, Jake," Bella replied, her voice thick with emotion.

Jacob leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers. His tongue slipped past her parted lips and they shared a passionate kiss. "I love you Bells, always." He murmured against her lips.

Bella's hands had reached up and encircled his neck. She lifted her hips up from the bed so that they were pressed against his.

"I love you too, Jake, so much." Her breath hitched as she felt him slip easily inside her. Her body was now attuned to his after their first two unions.

A shiver ran down Jacob's body as he felt Bella wrap her legs around him, drawing him in closer. Their pelvises were aligned and he waited a few seconds until he was sure that she had adjusted to his size. After their first try it had been a little painful for her and he wanted to make sure she was okay before he began to move.

"Are you alright?" he whispered, his mouth near her ear. He placed heated, open mouth kisses along her neck and groaned when he felt her nails dig into the taut muscles of his back.

"I'm fine, just move Jake...I need you." Bella's voice was laced with passion. Jacob instantly began to thrust inside her, his body's needs taking over.

Bella clutched onto Jacob's back tightly, her fingers kneading the muscles. Her nails dug in suddenly as he hit her sweet spot and she captured his lips with hers in a passionate kiss. Their lips parted as Bella's breathing became erratic; every movement from Jacob was causing pleasurable thrills to course through her. It was almost too much and she cried out in ecstasy as he moved faster within her.

"Bells..." Jacob muttered as he thrust into her harder and felt her match his movements. The sensation he was experiencing was beyond anything he could put into mere words. He could feel her breasts pressed against his chest and each time he moved she would dig her nails in his back, her thighs tightening around him. The rapture that he was feeling was overwhelming. It was overtaking both of their senses as their bodies continued to move in unison. They were both trying to reach the pinnacle of desire.

Jacob suddenly gripped onto Bella's ass and pressed her body flush with his own. Burying his head in her shoulder he gave one final thrust and felt his body reach the edge, Bella soon followed as she clenched around him and whispered his name as they both finally reached their release.

XXXXXX

It was now nine in the morning. After making love one final time, Bella and Jacob reluctantly got dressed. Jacob glanced around the garage for the last time before dousing the lights.

"I wish we didn't have to leave..." Bella said sadly. "This has become like our sanctuary."

Jacob wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into one of his bear hugs. "I know honey. I don't think I can sleep apart from you now." He confessed.

Bella's arms encircled his waist. "Me either. I am so sick of living apart from you Jake. I miss you all the time. I try not to be needy, but I can't function without you near me." She admitted.

Jacob tightened his hold on her. "I thought that was just me. There has been so many times that I have wanted to say that to you, but I didn't want to smother you, Bells."

Bella giggled and pulled his head down so that their foreheads were resting against each others. "Listen to us, lovesick or what, huh?"

"I don't care, I feel so happy right now, nothing matters but us. I will not be apart from you ever again. We will find a way around your old man." Jacob vowed.

Laying her head on his chest, Bella sighed. "I swear my dad has radar when it comes to you. Every time we have got close, he either phones or appears. I am so glad your dad kept him occupied this time. Your parents are awesome."

Jacob cupped Bella's face in his hands. "You know I count my blessings every day. Even though we have had a lot of shit thrown at us the past year, I know that I can count on you, my parents and the pack. Our lives may be full of drama but we are so lucky, Bells, to have the people in our lives that we do."

"I know….though I look forward to the day that the drama and danger is over. I picture us in our own little house, with our kids running free in La Push, you standing by my side. You would be a great dad Jake."

Jacob rested his head on top of hers and closed his eyes. Their shared bond allowed him to see the vision that she was picturing in her mind. He was standing next to her, holding onto her hand. Behind them loomed a picturesque house, not too large. He had a feeling he had built it with his own hands. The front of the house had a garden, blooming with all types of colorful flowers, brightening up the red and brown paintwork. His attention was drawn away from the wooden structure as he heard voices; in the distance two black haired children were chasing each other. It was a boy and a girl, both the same age so they must have been twins.

He instinctively knew that he was experiencing a vision of their future, one day these children would exist and he yearned for it badly. He allowed himself to watch them for another minute before the image faded from his mind and he felt Bella shift restlessly in his arms.

"I saw it honey. How often have you seen this?" He asked her in awe.

"I dream of it every night. The images become stronger when you are near." She admitted for the first time.

Jacob held her closer and she wrapped her arms around him so that there was not an inch of space between their bodies. "Then I will be near every night, Bells. There is no way anyone can part us now."

Bella nodded her head and let the heat from his body soothe her troubled nerves. She longed for a future exactly as the one she had dreamed about, but with all the problems that she knew were looming ahead she had not dared to believe in her dreams of their shared future. They held onto each other for another few minutes before their peace was shattered. A loud wolf's howl reverberated through the air.

"Shit, that's Sam. Honey…I have to go."

Bella gave him a small smile. "I know, stay safe and hurry back."

Jacob leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Always…"He promised before reluctantly taking his leave.

Bella watched him go, her heart beating with trepidation. Last night had been the best of her life, so why did she feel like her life was balancing on a knife edge? She needed to get her anxiety under control. Shrugging her shoulders, Bella glanced around the garage one last time before making her way back to the main house.

_**A/N-Thanks for reading, a more updated version of this chapter will be posted on JBNP and HEAP at a later date.**_

_**As always I would love your feedback it keeps me motivated. **_

_**Nikki :)**_


	39. Chapter 39

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-Thank you so much for all of the kind reviews that everyone left on the last chapter, I really appreciate all of your feedback, it keeps me motivated. I have had trouble responding to some reviews, my e-mails have not been working, so I have not been able to reply personally to everyone this time, sorry! **_

_**Please note this chapter is very dramatic and there are some upsetting scenes. **_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Thirteen**

As soon as Jacob phased his mind was assaulted by images being projected from Sam. His pace increased and his heart rate went up as he saw what was happening through the eyes of his beta. Sam was fighting for his life, not too far from him lay Leah, still in her wolf form. Jacob could see through Sam's thoughts that she had suffered terrible injuries. Long gashes were spewing blood along her flanks and one of her paws was bent at a weird angle. Jacob lifted his head up in the air and let out a furious roar, howling out his anger and calling for all the wolf pack to assist.

His paws beat the ground and clods of earth flew up as he sprinted toward Sam. The panic that Sam was feeling coursed through their shared mind link as he fought against the vampire. The shock at finding his Leah badly injured from a surprise attack was making Sam careless. His one overriding thought was to be with her and get her the help she so badly needed. Her body was having trouble healing itself, the vampire had managed to bite into the scruff of her neck and some venom had been released into her blood stream. This was impeding her ability to heal herself quickly.

Jacob tried to increase his pace; his breath was coming in short pants as he rushed to Sam's aid. He still hadn't had a clear view of the vampire that had sprung a surprise ambush. Nomads were usually disorganised and easily dealt with. Jacob concentrated his thoughts and zoned in on Sam, trying to see more clearly through his eyes to get a better view of the attacker. The vampire was moving so fast back and forth that to Sam's eyes it was a blur, so Jacob was unable to get a direct fixture on him. Sam was too occupied defending himself to acknowledge or feed back any information to Jacob.

One by one the other pack members phased in and what they saw through their Alpha's replay of the chaotic images from Sam shocked them. When Paul saw Leah lying injured on the ground he howled angrily, roaring his frustration at being the furthest away from her.

"We all have to keep our heads. I will reach Sam in another few minutes. As soon as you each arrive, surround the son of a bitch. I want to interrogate this leech before we rip him to pieces." Jacob commanded.

"Oh my god, Lee Lee..." Seth's misery at seeing his sister injured pierced Jacob's heart and he found the adrenaline to run faster.

As he came closer a scent he immediately recognised nearly made him topple over. The sickly sweet, flowery scent permeated his senses and he felt like he wanted to gag. Fury swept through Jacob as he tore through the last remaining undergrowth and launched his attack. Sam fell to the ground in exhaustion as he let Jake take over. He watched as Jacob sailed over his head and hit the vampire right in the chest. Both of them rolled over and over, leaves and dirt flying up in the air as they both regained their footing. As soon as Sam was sure that Jake had the upper hand, he limped over to Leah and began to sniff her over carefully. The rusty smell of blood drying on her beautiful pelt made his wolf's eyes water. Her breathing was laboured as she was putting all her energy into trying to heal herself. Sam dropped down beside her on all fours and rested his head next to hers. He got nothing from the pack mind link as Leah was deeply unconscious. As Leah was fighting an internal battle to stay alive, the shared imprint bond with Sam weakened him as he joined her in the fight. Closing his eyes in despair, he let out a quiet whimper.

XXXXXX

Jacob flew through the air once again as he twisted around before his attacker could anticipate his next move, he was finding it harder than expected to get a good hold on the vampire as its mind reading abilities gave it the upper hand. Jacob reigned in his thoughts, trying to shield them so that his opponent could not take advantage of his special ability. Jake could sense that the rest of the pack was drawing near; once they arrived they would be able to surround the leech and corner him. Jacob wanted an explanation from the son of a bitch before he took pleasure in ripping his head from his shoulders.

The glowing, red eyes of Edward Cullen narrowed as he read Jacob's thoughts. A sneer crossed his lips as he drew them back, venom glistening in the faint light.

"You're pathetic, all of you. Do you really think that I would stay away and not come for her? That stupid she-wolf just happened to be sniffing around Isabella's house and intercepted me. She paid the price for her curiosity." A mad laugh burst forth from his throat as he taunted Jacob.

Jacob did not answer him; rage was building up within him at Edward's reference to Bells. He had to remain focused however, he needed answers. Had the Cullen's lied to them all along about him being in Volterra? Edwards eyes were red, so his so called vegetarian diet had lapsed, he must have been feeding on human blood and very recently too. Jacob felt his stomach lurch at the thought.

"Come on then, almighty Alpha; show me why my Isabella would even think of spending one more second of her existence with you?" Edward goaded him.

Jacob got ready to launch another attack before he was thwarted in his efforts by Paul, who suddenly shot out of the tree cover unexpectedly and landed right on top of Edward Cullen, crushing him to the ground. He howled loudly before getting a tight hold on one of Edward's arms and sinking his teeth in. Edward yelled and flailed about wildly, trying to unlock Paul's jaws from his upper arm. Jacob joined in the fray as he caught hold of Edward's other arm and clamped his sharp teeth down hard.

"Now, Paul..." Jacob commanded. In unison they both pulled hard on Edward's arms and ripped them both from their sockets, his screams echoing loudly in the air.

It was at this point that the other pack members arrived...

XXXXXX

They cornered Edward Cullen against a rocky alcove. Without the use of his arms he was rendered helpless. He knelt in front of them, the mad light still shining in his blood red eyes. He stared at Jacob with pure hatred as he watched him confer with his pack. The youngest member, Seth was sent off to find Carlisle Cullen and inform him about what happened. Leah was in a fragile state, the venom was taking hold and the coven leader was probably the only one who could help her now. Seth was glad to have something to focus on, he felt like he was actually doing something to help his stricken sibling.

Paul was standing next to Sam and Leah. Jacob could hear him talking to Sam through the pack mind. To Jacob's surprise he was supporting Sam, telling him not to give in to despair, that Leah needed him to remain strong. His words of encouragement seemed to be getting through to Sam as he finally lifted his head and struggled onto his feet.

"Watch out for them Paul, while I deal with Cullen." Jacob said.

Paul turned toward him and nodded his head slightly in indication that he would do as he was asked.

"Thanks," Jacob then turned his attention back to Edward Cullen.

Embry, Jared and Quil were guarding Edward, but at the present time there seemed to be no fight left within him. Jacob paced to and fro in front of him; once again trying to stay focused and remain calm. The thought that this scum had intended to take Bella made his blood boil. He needed answers however, so ripping him to pieces would have to wait.

"You can read my mind you bastard, so I will not phase back. You were supposed to be under arrest in Volterra, have you been here all along?" Jacob demanded.

Edward remained on his knees in front of him, completely still. A sneer crossed his face as he heard Jacob's question in his mind. "I escaped, I used my mind reading ability to my advantage, plus the fool guards that I came into contact with on a daily basis were easily manipulated. The Volturi leaders have become careless. "

"You have been drinking human blood; your red eyes give you away..."

A bitter laugh escaped Edward's lips. "I had no choice; Volterra is not like Forks where there is plenty of wildlife on your doorstep. Anyway Aro and the others insisted on it, to prove my worth to them."

"You are insane," Jacob's thoughts were laced with disgust.

"Me? Maybe...you have no idea what I went through in Italy. I have been tortured. My one thought was Isabella and keeping her safe. Over time the Volturi leaders forgot about me. I was left to rot in a dank cell, guarded by two morons. Like I said it didn't take much to deal with them. I came straight here to retrieve Isabella..." His voice tailed off as a shudder racked his whole body,

"What is wrong with you?"

Edward shuddered again momentarily before raising his head. His eyes looked glazed. "I don't know what is happening to me. I...I...feel so confused and...where is Isabella?"

"God, Jake this leech is mad..." Embry interjected.

Jacob couldn't deny that assessment. There was nothing more he could do; he had to wait for the Cullen's as Leah's life depended on them now.

XXXXXX

Carlisle Cullen assessed Leah's injuries carefully; the venom from Edward's bite was hindering her natural healing ability. He stood up and motioned for Jacob to follow him. Jacob had phased back to his human form as soon as Carlisle had put in an appearance. It was the easiest way to confer with him.

"I need to suck the venom back out." He stated bluntly. "If I don't do it right now, she will be dead within half an hour at most."

Everyone heard his words. Sam approached, his whole body shaking with anger. "Don't you dare touch her? I'll kill you if you..."

Paul grabbed hold of Sam, and with Seth's help managed to drag him back. Carlisle gave him a compassionate glance. "I understand your friend's reluctance to my plan, but there really is no other way. I am sorry."

Jacob glanced around at the other members of the pack. Embry, Quil and Jared were still phased, standing guard over Edward. Carlisle had not even acknowledged his adopted son's presence. His first priority was to assess Leah's injuries.

After a tense few seconds, Jacob gave his consent for Carlisle to proceed. As soon as Sam heard his agreement he began to fight against Paul and Seth's hold on him. His imprint bond was making him crazy as he felt Leah's life draining away from her.

"Take him away from here for a few minutes." Jacob ordered.

Paul and Seth both used all of their strength to haul a struggling Sam out of the way while Carlisle went about his work.

XXXXXX

After Carlisle had successfully removed the venom, Leah's body had automatically phased back to her human state. Jacob quickly covered her body with the clothes that she had attached to the leather strap on her leg. He called out for Paul and Seth to let Sam go. Within seconds he was by back by Leah's side, tears coursing down his face.

"Can I hold her?" he whispered, his voice husky with emotion. All the fight had left him and he felt extremely tired.

"Yes, of course. She will be unconscious for a while but her body will now be able to heal itself as the venom is no longer in her blood."Carlisle advised, his voice laced with sympathy.

Sam gently lifted Leah into his arms and cradled her close. "You're going to be okay Lee Lee. It's alright now."

"Take her home Sam, Seth you and Paul go with him." Jacob suggested.

Paul looked surprised to be included in escorting Sam back home with Leah. He remained quiet however and followed the others as they left the scene.

Once they were gone, Jacob turned back to Carlisle. "I cannot let him live." He did not bother with preliminaries. "He has broken the original treaty ten times over."

Sadness crossed Carlisle's face as he finally turned to look at Edward. "Alice has not been able to see his future for a while. We thought it was due to the fact that the Volturi were blocking her visions in some way, but Edward has always been adept at evading her attempts in the past. I cannot imagine what they must have done to him while he was there..."

Jacob sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He just wanted this all to be over so that he could go back home and hold Bella in his arms. "He said they had tortured him...although he didn't reveal how."

"Oh they have their ways. Some of the Volturi guard are very experienced in the ways of torture." Carlisle said bitterly. "If I am honest I know that Edward has struggled in the distant past to control his thirst. Sometimes I think having the ability to hear everyone's thoughts in your head constantly would drive anyone mad. He has been struggling for a long time; I just thought he seemed to have found a purpose. He was so eager to help in any way he could to protect Bella..."

"For what it's worth, I am sorry that it has come to this." Jacob replied.

Carlisle nodded. "I know. Please, I know it is a lot to ask but...I would prefer it if I was the one to deal with him. I am the one who brought him into this way of life. He is my first son and I couldn't bear him to be...please. I will be quick."

Jacob stared at Carlisle. His devastation and despair at what his adopted son had done was written clearly all over his face. For the first time Jacob wondered what he would do if he was in the doctors place. The whole day had been emotional and completely exhausting for everyone. He felt overwhelmed with everything that had happened and in his heart he did not relish any more killing.

"Do it, we will be nearby...when it is done we will need to deal with the remains." Jacob saw Carlisle grimace at his words.

"I understand." He said stiffly.

Jacob stepped back and motioned for Quil, Jared and Embry to follow, leaving Carlisle alone with his son.

Carlisle studied Edward sadly. Seconds ticked by in silence before Edward finally raised his head and looked at his mentor.

"It's over isn't it..."He said, his voice devoid of all emotion.

"Yes, I am afraid it is." Carlisle admitted, sighing softly.

XXXXXX

Jacob opened the door to his house and slipped in quietly. Bella was waiting for him; she was sitting on the sofa, biting her lip anxiously. As soon as she saw him arrive she stood up and ran into his waiting arms. "Oh Jake, I have been so scared..."

"I am alright honey. Edward Cullen is gone; he will never hurt anyone again." Jacob murmured soothingly. He buried his head in her hair and held her tightly against his body.

After a while he pulled back slightly and gently stroked Bella's hair away from her flushed face. "Where is everyone?" He asked.

"They are over at the Clearwater's. Leah has woken up, she is still very weak but doing okay, I said I would wait here for you, and then we could go over there together. "Bella took Jake's hand in hers and squeezed it gently.

"I love you, Bells." Jake leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I love you too," Bella replied instantly, her breath warm against his mouth.

Jacob gave her one more kiss and then slipped his arm around her shoulders. "Come on then, let's go and check on Lee."

Bella gave him a small smile as they both headed back outside and walked slowly toward the Clearwater's house.

_**A/N-Phew, I am really tired after writing that, what an emotional rollercoaster. Thanks so much for reading, as always, I would love to hear your thoughts about what happened in this chapter. Nikki.**_


	40. Chapter 40

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-Thanks to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter, your wonderful feedback motivated me to update faster. Nikki **_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Fourteen**

Leah opened her eyes and groaned. Her whole body ached. She tried to turn on her side but she felt so sore that she rolled back again. A warm hand reached out and touched her face, stroking her cheek gently. A smile formed on her lips, she knew that touch.

"Sam," she whispered her voice husky.

"Hey girl, I have been waiting for you to wake up!" Sam leaned down and ghosted his lips over hers; he could sense how fragile she still was.

"How long have I been out of it?" Leah enquired softly.

"A few hours sweetheart, your body took a while to heal after the venom was sucked out."

Leah shuddered at the thought, she was glad that she had been unconscious at the time, Sam moved over to the bed and manoeuvred himself carefully so that he was able to embrace her fully. His strong arms wrapped around her soothed Leah's panic and she sank back against him gratefully.

"Sam?"

"Yeah babe," He moved his head so that it was resting in the crook of Leah's neck.

"I can't do this anymore..." Leah confessed.

Sam became very still. "Do what?"

Closing her eyes, Leah laced her fingers with his and finally admitted what she had been feeling for the last few weeks, even before the attack. "I want to leave the pack, Sam. I can't cope; being the only girl is rough. My body is all over the place and..."

Sam raised his head and leaned over Leah so he could look into her eyes. "Go on, it's okay."

"My periods have stopped Sam; if I carry on as I am there is a possibility that I will become infertile." Tears began to course down Leah's face as she told him the whole truth finally. She had been undergoing tests at the hospital, her mother acting as go-between her and Carlisle. It was not as if she could see a conventional doctor.

Sam cradled her beloved face in both of his hands. "Oh Lee, I could sense something was troubling you but I didn't want to push. Can this be reversed?"

Leah nodded at him. "Yes, if I manage to stop phasing now, Carlisle is confident that my body will return to normal. However the longer I continue phasing it will lessen my chances of ever recovering my fertility."

Sam gazed at her lovingly and leaned down and captured her lips with his. "I will talk to Jake, Lee, don't stress okay. I am sure once I let him know the reason behind your wishes he will release you from the pack."

Leah gave him a small smile. "It won't be easy...I mean I have no idea how hard this is going to be..."

"I don't care; we will deal with it, together." Sam said, determination clear in his voice.

Leah breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

Sam chuckled softly, "No, thank you." He gave her another sweet kiss on the lips before leaving to talk to Jake.

XXXXXX

Jacob found Bella sitting with his mom and Sue Clearwater on the porch swing. Rare sunshine was beaming down from the sky and the three of them were soaking up the warmth in companionable silence.

Bella gave him a wide smile when she saw him approach. "Is Lee alright? I saw you talking with Sam, it looked intense."

Jacob exchanged a knowing look with Sue. The latter rose from her seat and stretched. "I am going to check on my daughter. Is Sam with her?"

"Yeah...I gave Leah my consent." Jacob informed her.

Sue smiled at him gratefully. She gave him a quick hug before going off to see her daughter.

Sarah frowned. "Gave your consent for what?"

Jacob took Sue's place on the swing and slipped his arm around Bella's shoulders. "Leah is going to leave the pack." He admitted.

"And you're okay with this?" Sarah asked curiously.

"She has good reason mom. I can't betray her confidence, but honestly it is for the best." He said.

Sarah gave her son a pat on the arm. She gazed at him and Bella, snuggling together on the swing, something was definitely different between them, her motherly instincts kicked in and she guessed that they had taken their relationship further.

"How are you two holding up?" She asked.

"We're okay," Bella replied, her eyes automatically straying to Jacob. They stared intently at each other before he turned and looked at his mom.

"Mom, we need to speak to you, dad and Charlie about something." Jacob finally said as he held Bella's hand tightly.

"What about?" Sarah enquired.

"About Bells moving to La Push, permanently." he revealed.

Sarah's mouth dropped open as she studied them both in shock. This was the last thing she had expected. After a tense few seconds she finally found her voice. "Charlie will not allow it, Jake." She warned him.

Jacob's expression made her pause; he seemed so much older than his sixteen years. "He will not have a choice. I will not be parted from Bella anymore."

Sarah felt her stomach lurch, she could think of nothing else to say.

XXXXXX

"NO WAY," Charlie yelled as his fist banged on the table. "You are both too young."

"Chief, calm down," Billy said, trying to calm the situation.

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN, DO NOT PATRONISE ME." Charlie's face reddened as he saw his daughter cringe at his harsh tone.

"Dad, please..." Bella begged. "I love Jake, I can't bear it anymore. You have no idea what it is like being apart for long periods, I am having trouble functioning properly and so is he. I know you think we are too young, but we both grew up a long time ago..."

Charlie stood up from the table and glared around at them all. "NO, that is my last word. I refuse to let you live in the same house. You see each other nearly every day; there is no reason for you to move in here. I mean where would you sleep for god's sake? There is no spare room."

Silence reigned in the room as they all eyed each other nervously. The only one who seemed unperturbed was Jacob. He stood up too and faced Charlie, towering over him.

"Bells and I have discussed this; you have no idea what it is like for us. I love her with all my heart. Our future is together, we see no point in living apart anymore." He said confidently.

Charlie shook his head in disbelief. "I have tolerated a lot over the years, but I am standing firm on this. There is no way that my little girl will be sharing a room with you. "He replied fiercely.

"I don't want to go against you Charlie but you really have no choice, my parents support my decision." Jacob interjected.

"Actually son, I agree with Charlie," Billy interrupted him. "You are both too young."

Jacob and Bella exchanged shocked glances; they thought that their earlier talk with Sarah had paved the way for their agreement.

"Mom, you agreed earlier." Jacob demanded.

Sarah met his hurt gaze and shook her head in denial. "No, I said no such thing; I told you that Charlie would never agree. Your father is right; there is plenty of time for you both to be together in the future. I understand the imprint..."

"This has nothing to do with the damn imprint..." Jacob shouted, finally losing his temper. "When will the lot of you learn that Bella and I fell in love naturally, there was no supernatural bullshit. The bond we share has nothing to do with how we fell in love."

"He's right," Bella finally spoke. "You have to understand that we may be young in years, but we both know in our hearts how we feel. I have loved Jake since I first saw him as Wolfie, and he felt the same way. It tears us apart when we have to spend time away from each other for long periods."

The adults fell silent as they studied the two of them. During Bella's impassioned speech, Jake had returned to her side and was gazing at her lovingly.

Charlie felt a lump come into his throat. "I need some air," he declared. Leaving the room he slammed the front door behind him.

Bella began to get up to follow him, but Sarah stopped her. "No sweetie, your dad needs some time to think. Actually Billy and I will join him. Give us some time, okay."

Bella sat back down and nodded. Jacob looked at his parents briefly before turning back to Bella. "Okay, we'll wait here." He agreed.

Billy helped Sarah stand and she leaned on him as they followed Charlie out of the house.

XXXXXX

Leah assured Sam that she would be alright; he needed to check in at home before he took his turn on patrol. "I'll be fine; really, my mom and dad are here. Go."

Sam reluctantly gave her one last kiss before leaving the room. Leah sighed and closed her eyes, seeking sleep. Another hour passed as she shifted restlessly in her bed. Her body still felt sore and she moaned quietly as pain pierced her side. A scent she recognised made her eyes fly open. She turned her head as she heard her window being shoved open. Why did her bedroom have to be on the ground floor?

Paul slipped in easily through the open window and approached her bed cautiously. Leah grimaced as she saw him.

"Why are you here?" She asked tiredly.

"Just needed to see how you were doing." he murmured.

"As you can see I am fine, so you can leave now."

"I need to say something first," Paul responded. "Just hear me out and then I'll leave."

"Get it over with..." Leah turned her head to look at him. She frowned as she saw him run his hand through his hair and fidget. Paul actually looked nervous.

"Leah, I am in love with you..." he declared suddenly.

"I don't want to hear this; you know that I am with Sam. How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

Paul sighed with frustration. "I know all that, when you were injured and I saw how he was, it brought it home to me what the imprint actually means. You two hide your thoughts so well from the rest of us I never knew how deep the bond ran or how it felt for you both. I got a glimpse into his mind when you were injured as he let his guard down. I am going to back off Leah and leave you both in peace. I just came here to tell you that..."

Tears began to leak out of Leah's eyes at his admission. She motioned for him to come near and he approached her and knelt beside the bed. Reaching up Leah pulled his head down and kissed him on the forehead gently. "Thank you." She whispered.

Paul gazed at her and she felt her heart hurt as she saw the love shining clearly from his dark eyes. "I love you..." he said again.

"You will meet someone else one day, Paul I promise. She is out there somewhere." Leah gave him a small smile.

"Maybe...I better go." Paul stood up and looked at Leah one more time before he sprinted toward the window and jumped out quickly before she could see his tears fall.

XXXXXX

Jacob and Bella watched as their parents returned to the house and sat back down at the table.

"Well, what have you decided?" Jake asked impatiently.

Charlie exchanged a quick glance with Billy and Sarah. "I still cannot allow Bells to live in the same house as you; it is too much too soon, but..."

Jake bristled at his words; he opened his mouth to argue before Billy glared at him. "Be quiet and let the man finish."

"I'm sorry..." Jacob said as he gripped onto Bella's hand tightly. They both stared anxiously at Charlie waiting for his answer.

"With everything that has happened over the last few years, Rebecca being turned and now Leah being injured...I feel it is no longer safe for Bella and me to remain in Forks. So...I am going to sell the house and buy a property on the Res close to here. I think that is a fair compromise don't you. "Charlie finished and looked at them both expectantly.

Bella got up from her seat and went over to her dad, throwing her arms around him. "Thank you dad. Are you really sure about this?"

Charlie hugged her back. "Yeah, I have been thinking about it for a long time, kiddo. I don't think Forks is a safe place to be for us anymore. At least the pack will be able to protect you better here."

Billy raised his eyebrows at his son. "Well what do you think?"

Jacob's face broke out into one of his sunny grins. "I think that is just perfect."

The adults gave each other relieved smiles as they felt a huge weight lifting off their shoulders.

_**A/N-Thanks for reading! **_


	41. Chapter 41

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-I would like to give a big thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter. I love getting your feedback. Nikki **_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Fifteen**

Bella looked around her old room, all the furniture had been taken out and it was now empty. Sadness pierced her heart at the thought of leaving her first true home. She had so many happy memories here, meals spent with her dad, Jake and his parents sitting around the table. A smile formed on her lips when she recalled the numerous times she had sneaked Wolfie into the house without her dad's knowledge. She and Jake had found it difficult to be parted even then. She sighed heavily and picked up the suitcase filled with the last of her clothes.

"Are you alright, kiddo?" Charlie appeared in the open doorway as he heard the sad sigh that she had let out.

Bella brushed at a stray tear that had escaped from her eye. "Yeah, just reminiscing, I have been happy here..."

Charlie gave her a sympathetic smile. "This house was only ever a home when you came back to live here, Bells. Before that it was just a place I slept in...Our new house will be filled with just as many amazing memories."

"Aww dad, that was quite poetic." Bella teased playfully, not used to hearing such things from him.

He laughed and took the suitcase from her hand. "Come on, kiddo. Jake has everything loaded in the truck; he is getting impatient to get you safely to La Push."

Bella glanced around her old room one last time and followed her dad down the stairs and out into the rare Forks sunshine. Jacob immediately pulled her into a tight embrace; he could sense how sentimental she was feeling about leaving her old home.

"Are you okay, honey?" He whispered in her ear.

Bella slipped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. The rapid beating of his heart soothed her as always. "Yes, I'm fine. Come on Jake, take me home."

Jacob gave her a sunny grin and he released his hold on her and took her hand instead. "Your wish is my command."

Charlie rolled his eyes at their banter. He got into the driver's side of the truck and Bella slipped into the passenger side. Jacob leapt into the back, along with the last of their belongings, as Charlie turned on the engine and drove away from their old home in Forks for the last time.

XXXXXX

Seth finished fixing the welcome home banner across the open doorway. Leah had been driving him mad by complaining that it wasn't hanging straight. Ever since her decision to give up phasing she had been in a foul mood. Apparently it was a side effect of her trying to fight the urge to phase. Each time she felt the wolf fighting to break free Leah would take off for a long run, trying to dampen down the feelings by exhausting herself physically. Sam had been bearing the brunt of her anger, but he had dealt with it stoically, never losing control or fighting back.

Harry Clearwater watched the interactions between his daughter and Sam; he had always been ambivalent about their imprint. Joshua Uley had a bad reputation on the Res and Harry had been fearful that Sam had picked up some of his character traits; he now knew that he could not have been more wrong. Sam was a perfect match for his feisty daughter. He took everything in his stride and remained calm even under the most difficult circumstances. Leah could be a firebrand when she wanted to be, but Sam always seemed to sense the best way to handle her.

"At last Sethy, I thought my eyes were going to cross the way you were hanging the damn banner. I'll do it myself next time." Leah snapped.

Seth cursed Leah in his head, but he managed to stop himself from answering her back. He jumped down from the top of the ladder and landed gracefully on his feet. "I'm going to help Quil and Embry light the bonfire in the back yard." he said and made his escape before his sister could criticize something else.

Sam came out of the house and saw that Leah was getting antsy again, her arms were trembling and her eyes were dilating. The wolf was close to the surface again. There was always one way to cure that problem. He strolled over to her and pulled her into his arms. She sagged into his embrace, her breathing heavy with the effort of fighting against her instincts to phase.

"Hey you, I am finished moving the furniture inside. How about we slip away for some sexy fun, Lee Lee, huh?" he whispered huskily into her ear.

A smile spread across Leah's face at his words and she caught hold of his hand and brought it to her face. "I bet you can't catch me?" She replied. Without warning she shoved him away and sprinted for the surrounding trees.

Sam laughed and ran after her. It only took him seconds to reach her and he hoisted her up into his arms and carried her bridal style into the forest, away from prying eyes and ears.

XXXXXX

Sarah was in the kitchen of the new house, along with Sue. Both women had spent most of the morning making up a big buffet for the surprise bonfire party they were all throwing to welcome Charlie and Bella to the res. Both women stood back to admire their efforts.

"Well Sue, do you think this will feed the pack's gargantuan appetites?" Sarah mused.

"Well it better. I refuse to make anymore. How does Bella cope when she cooks for everyone?" Sue asked in disbelief.

Sarah laughed a bright, happy sound. It made Sue feel relieved. It had been a long time since she had seen her friend relaxed like this. Having Bella and Charlie move permanently to the res out of harm's way seemed to have lightened everyone's load. It was something they should have done a long time ago; no one could understand why they hadn't thought of that solution before. Anyway the day had now arrived and the pack, plus their families wanted it to be a night to remember.

XXXXXX

As Charlie drove the last few yards toward the new house, his lips formed into a smile. He heard Bella gasp as she too caught sight of the big welcome home banner strung across the front of the house. Curling wisps of smoke coming from the back of the property indicated that a bonfire had just been lit and already the pleasant aroma of cooked food assaulted their senses.

"Anyone would think they were pleased to see us..." Charlie said jokingly as Bella gave him a wide smile.

"I think you might be right. Doesn't it look beautiful, dad?" Bella asked him in awe.

"Yeah, absolutely beautiful..." Charlie's voice trailed off as he examined his new home.

The house consisted of three bedrooms, a bathroom and a big living area and kitchen. Charlie had made a profit on his first home and was able to purchase a roomier property on the res, off to one side was a lean to which was piled high with wood and other essentials that were needed to live out a harsh winter on the res. There was another wooden building at the back, which was big enough to house both Bella's truck and the police cruiser. The attached land at the back was over an acre and provided plenty of room for the bonfire party that was going to take place that night.

Jacob banged on the window of the truck to get Bella and Charlie's attention, he could see that they were both lost in their own thoughts as they gazed at their new home.

"Come on, Bells, everyone is waiting to greet you both." Jacob said as he opened the passenger door. He caught hold of her hand and helped her out of the truck.

"They didn't need to go to all this trouble, Jake." Bella replied.

Jacob kissed her quickly on the lips, mindful that Charlie was close. "Of course we did. Come on in so that we can get this party started. I'm starving."

"Trust you to think of your stomach, Jacob Black." Charlie muttered. He was feeling apprehensive about being surrounded by a lot of people. He had a feeling he was going to have to make a speech and he hated being the centre of attention.

Jacob laughed at Charlie's quip and pulled Bella along with him as he led the way to the house.

XXXXXX

Quil had brought his sound system over from his house and Embry had helped him set it up. They were now sorting through some music, trying to please both the older generation and themselves. Harry had brought over some of his old tunes and they had grimaced in disgust when they pulled out a selection of 'Tom Jones' greatest hits.

"Keep him away from the decks Quil, please." Embry pleaded. "I have to listen to his music every Sunday morning when he insists on putting them on. This Tom Jones LP is not the worst in that collection, believe me."

Quil nodded in agreement. He lifted some of the records up and hid them behind the speakers, as he turned back he caught sight of Emily Young. She was wearing a low cut red top that left nothing to the imagination and a short skirt. His eyes opened wide like saucers. He let out a wolf whistle and she turned to see who it was.

"Hey girl, looking good..." Quil called out cheerfully. Emily gave him a wink and began to sway her hips as she carried on walking. She was headed over toward Jacob and Bella, who were standing together, having an animated conversation with their respective parents.

It was well known that Emily had a big crush on Jacob and did not try to hide how much she despised Bella. Embry nudged Quil in the side. He didn't have anyone special in his life right now, like Embry did, he had Kim. Maybe Quil could keep Emily Young out of the way, he seemed to fancy the girl anyway. Embry decided to plant the idea in Quil's head. Sometimes he needed a push.

"Hey Quil, you like Emily, right?" He prodded.

"She has a fine pair of..."

"Yes, I could see you looking down her top. Why don't you go and introduce yourself to them...I mean her. I think she is just playing hard to get. I saw the way she winked at you." Embry suggested slyly.

Quil gave him a sideways glance. "I thought she had a thing for Jake?"

"Nah, Lee thinks it's just a cover up to get your attention, dude. She was checking you out the other day...go on man, go for it." Embry encouraged him.

"What about the music, I am supposed to be the DJ for the night..."

Embry brushed that concern aside. "I'll take care of that. Kim has just arrived, she'll keep me company. Go on Quil, otherwise she will think you are not interested."

"Okay, see you later." Quil punched Embry on the shoulder and strolled off in Emily's direction.

Kim came up to Embry and gave him one of her shy smiles. He leaned down and kissed her softly. "Where is Quil going?" She asked curiously.

"He is about to enter the wolf's den." Embry laughed. "You look beautiful by the way."

Kim gazed up at Embry in adoration and she pulled his head back down to hers for another sweet kiss.

XXXXXX

The sparks from the flames illuminated the dark night. Everyone had split into groups. Some of the couples had drifted off to be by themselves. Charlie, Harry and Billy could be heard reminiscing about their younger days, with Sue and Sarah pulling them up on some of their more outrageous stories. The parents had consumed quite a lot of alcohol and were feeling mellow and chilled out.

Rachel and Jared could be seen dancing together near the bonfire. A small diamond ring adorned the left finger on her hand. Jared had asked her to marry him, taking her completely by surprise. She had coughed loudly as the drink she was sipping went down the wrong way. This had caused him to burst into laughter and he had taken that as a yes. The big smile that had spread across Rachel's face had been all the answer he needed.

"I love you, princess." he had whispered in her ear. His warm breath sending pleasant shivers down her spine.

"I love you too. I can't wait until you have to face my dad." She had murmured in his ear, hoping to wind him up.

Instead Jared had chuckled again. "I asked him a few moments ago, he was so pissed that he nearly fell over. Then he patted me on the back and told me to go for it."

Rachel had hit him on the shoulder. "Cheater, I was looking forward to him giving you a lecture." She teased.

"Another time, princess, want to dance?"

Rachel gave him her hand and they had been slow dancing together ever since.

Seth had gone to join Paul on patrol after he had greeted Bella and her dad. Bella had given him a tight hug and whispered thank you to him. It was still hard for him to be around Jacob and Bella when they were together. His feelings for her still ran very deep and he found it best to keep out of the way. He knew that Paul too was keeping away from Leah and Sam. They had both volunteered to take on patrolling duties while the celebrations went on.

XXXXXX

Jacob and Bella were up in her new room. It was large enough to take a double bed and she had ordered one straight away. They were taking advantage of the fact that their parents were distracted. Bella's shirt and jeans were on the floor and Jacob was kissing her deeply on the mouth, while caressing her back with his skilful fingers. His other hand was just about to snap her bra open when a loud scream made them wrench apart. It had come from outside.

"What the fuck was that?" Jacob slid off of the bed and ran over to the window. Bella joined him seconds later.

They saw Emily Young waving her arms about and yelling at Quil Ateara. It looked like she had thrown a drink over him as liquid was dripping from his black hair and on to his muscular chest. Everyone was staring at them in shock. Jacob groaned in irritation.

"What has that fool done now?" he cursed. "I am going to have to go and sort it out Bells."

Bella gave him a sour look; she hated Emily Young and was beyond livid that she had interrupted her chance to christen her new bed with Jacob. "I'll come with you. I don't want that bitch anywhere near you, there is no telling what she might pull."

Jacob gave her a grin. He loved it when she showed her jealous side, her eyes were flashing fire and she looked so sexy. The sooner he got Quil's new mess sorted out they could get back to what they were doing.

"Come on then, honey. Let's get this over with." Jacob waited for her to pull her clothes back on and they left to investigate the cause of the ruckus.

_**A/N- sorry I haven't updated this week, this chapter really kicked my ass I must say. I really struggled with it. It has turned into a bit of lengthy one and I have only managed to edit this half, so I have split it in two just to post something. Anyways, part two of the bonfire party coming soon and perhaps Jake and Bella can finish what they started! **_

_**Thanks for reading, Nikki **_


	42. Chapter 42

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, your awesome feedback really made my day! Please note that there is a lemon scene near the end of this chapter! Nikki **_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Sixteen**

As soon as Emily saw Jacob she put on a distressed expression and ran over to him. She flung herself at him, her crocodile tears coursing down her face. "Oh, I am so glad you are here," she simpered.

Jacob disentangled himself from her clutches and shoved her away from him. "What's going on here?" he demanded.

"Yeah, exactly what I would like to know," Bella said irritably. She was trying to erase the image of Emily Young trying to inveigle herself into Jacob's arms.

Quil was still standing immobile, his face looked completely stunned. Some of the other pack members could be heard laughing at his dilemma.

"He tried to take advantage of me, Jake." Emily shifted her body closer to him again. Bella's eyes zeroed in on her attempts and she felt anger beginning to flow through her. No one was allowed to touch Jacob in that way, especially Emily Young.

"Get away from him." The words spilled from Bella's mouth before she could stop them.

All eyes turned onto her and her face flushed red in embarrassment; she tried to hide behind a grinning Jacob. Quil was glad of the distraction; he was still trying to recover from the shock of having a drink thrown over him for no reason.

"You have rather a possessive streak, men don't like to be owned. " Emily sneered at her. "Perhaps Jacob would like to know what it would be like to have a real woman instead of a..."

Before anyone could react to her outburst, Bella flew at Emily and shoved her hard. Emily screamed and tried to right herself, but she was off balance. She grabbed onto Bella and pulled her down with her. They rolled over as Emily tried to get a hold of Bella's hair to pull on it. Her tears seemed to have mysteriously disappeared. Bella kicked out and her foot connected with Emily's shin, making the other girl cry in pain. They continued to scrap with each other, getting covered in dirt and fallen leaves until they were yanked apart. Jacob hoisted Bella up into his arms while Quil took hold of Emily.

The two girls glared at each other, their breathing heavy as they tried to control their ire. Emily struggled against Quil, before he gladly put her down.

"Tell the truth Emily, I did nothing to you. " He said sternly.

Emily turned her angry brown eyes onto him. "I am saying nothing." She yelled in his face.

"Believe me Jake, she was talking nonstop about you. I told her that she had no chance, that you were with Bella and she suddenly went all mental on me. She kept insisting that she was better for you then Bella and I told her to get over herself, that she was nothing special. Then she dumped her drink over my head." Quil told them the whole sorry tale.

All eyes became riveted on Emily; her face froze as she felt the accusing stares. "You're a liar Quil Ateara," She finally said, no conviction in her tone.

"I want you to leave right now," Jacob said sternly, disgust clear in his voice."Get it into your thick skull that I would never be interested in you, even if I wasn't with Bella. The best thing you can do is go back to your family and leave us all in peace."

"That's enough now Jake," Sue Clearwater came up behind her niece. "I will take her back to the house; she has disgraced herself enough for one day."

Emily's bottom lip trembled as she allowed her aunt to lead her away from the prying eyes. Silence reigned as everyone tried to process what had just happened. Bella had buried her head in Jake's chest, she felt so stupid for giving into her jealousy over Emily. She was such an idiot; it was not as if Jake had ever shown any interest in another girl, ever. Jacob could feel how embarrassed she was. Charlie began to walk over toward them; he was swaying from side to side, obviously quite drunk. In fact so were Billy and Harry. Jacob's mom was trying to rouse her husband with little success. The party was definitely over for the night. Emily had put paid to anyone being able to relax enough to enjoy themselves now.

XXXXXX

Snores could be heard coming from Charlie's bedroom and the guest room where Billy had been placed after Jacob had half carried his inebriated father. Sarah too was quite tipsy and she kept giggling to herself until she finally fell asleep next to her husband. All the other party goers had finally gone home, much to Jacob and Bella's relief. She was still feeling mortified after her fight with Emily.

"Sometimes I wonder who the adults really are." Jacob said in amusement after checking on his parents one last time.

"Me too, "Bella agreed, she winced as her father's snores became louder.

Jacob gave her a grin and pulled her gently into his arms."Are you okay honey? That thing with Emily isn't still bothering you, is it?"

Bella nestled into his embrace and laid her head on his chest. She loved hearing the sound of his heart beating; the steady rhythm always soothed her. "I think I need a shower, I am covered in dirt." She mumbled against his chest.

Jacob's eyes lit up at her words. "Shower, huh? Why don't we go to my place? Let's leave the parents to sleep off their hangovers."

Bella raised her head and looked up at him wryly. "This has worked out well for you, Jacob Black."

"Hell yeah..." Jacob chuckled; he suddenly lifted Bella up into his arms and swung her around, making her head spin. She leaned her head back and her joyful laughter matched his as she finally relaxed again.

XXXXXX

A trail of clothes had been flung on the floor carelessly leading to the bathroom. Jacob and Bella had made it back to his house in record time and were taking full advantage of having the house all to themselves. They had stumbled into the shower, lips fused together as Jacob fumbled around until he managed to locate the on switch and the water cascaded around them. Unfortunately it came through cold at first and Bella yelled as the freezing water hit her skin. It did not bother Jacob in the slightest, he laughed at her reaction, yanking her body flush against his so that he could transfer his heat to her frigid skin.

"I'll warm you up honey," he murmured huskily into her ear. Bella shivered with pleasure as she felt his warm breath tease her skin.

"Please do..." Bella moved her hair out of the way as he began to place soft kisses along her neck, while his warm hands slid down her back and massaged her skin in soothing circles. She gave a happy sigh and just let him caress her skin with his mouth and hands until she was completely relaxed against him.

"Feel better now," he asked as he captured her lips with his and kissed her deeply, cupping her face with both hands.

Bella's arms slid around his neck as she felt him hoist her up against him by her thighs. She wrapped her legs around his waist to keep herself steady. "I love you," She whispered before leaning into another scorching kiss.

"I love you too, "he replied once their kiss had ended.

Supporting her weight with one arm, Jake reached over and found the shampoo. He poured some onto Bella's hair and then massaged it gently into her scalp, smiling as he heard her moan with pleasure, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the sensations of his fingers running through her hair, separating the tendrils expertly. When he was finished Bella let the warm water rinse the shampoo away.

"Wow, I loved that," She confessed. "I wish we could do this every day."

Jacob leaned in for another kiss as they let the warm water wash over their skin. Bella could feel Jacob's erection pressing against her stomach. She squeezed her thighs around his waist and he deepened the kiss, moving his mouth more urgently against hers. Sliding her fingers into his hair, Bella ran her fingers through the silky strands and she pressed her torso closer to his, her breasts sliding against his muscular chest.

"I really want to make love to you right now..." Jacob said huskily as he broke their kiss.

Bella laughed softly as her hands left his hair and slid down his neck until they reached his wide shoulders. "I'm ready if you are. I always wanted to try the shower." She whispered into his ear, placing gentle kisses along his neck and down onto his shoulder.

"I'm definitely ready..." Jacob walked forward until Bella's back was leaning against the tile wall of the shower. His strong arms cradled her carefully as he entered her slowly. Bella gasped and gripped onto his shoulders tightly, her nails digging into his skin as he began to move his hips as he thrust into her.

Jacob dropped his head to her breasts and began to tease them playfully with his tongue as he moved within her at the same time. Bella had never felt such pleasure and the intensity of it overwhelmed her as she wrapped her body around his, trying to match his rhythm. The water fell around them as they became lost in their own bliss, no longer caring that it was once again turning cold. The heat from their entwined bodies was enough to keep them both warm.

Eventually Jacob's movements sped up as he felt himself coming close to the edge. Bella's body tightened around him as she went into her own orgasm and he followed soon after, capturing her mouth once again with his as they both came down from their high.

"Wow..." Bella said as she finally regained her breath. "That was..."

"Yeah...I love you Bells."

"I love you too, "Bella replied swiftly tracing teasing circles along Jacob's back with her fingers.

"Ready for round two," Jacob gave her one of his trademark grins.

"Hell yeah..." Bella said playfully, echoing Jake's words from earlier that night.

XXXXXX

They lay sated in Jacob's room; he was spooned behind her, his arms wrapped securely around her, their fingers laced together. He kissed the back of her neck and she nestled closer to him.

"Are you happy honey?" he asked her, his voice husky with emotion.

"Of course, apart from the Emily fiasco today has been one to remember." Bella replied, shifting around to look into his eyes. "Are you okay, Jake?"

"Everything has been going well for a change and I keep thinking that I am going to lose you..." he admitted, his old fears creeping back.

Bella twisted around in his embrace and gazed into his eyes. "Stop worrying about what might never happen. We need to live in the moment, Jacob. Right now I am so happy and I love you so much. You are not going to lose me alright."

Jacob nodded and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "Sorry," he apologised.

Bella stroked his cheek gently. "It's okay, now I think we should get some sleep. Our parents are going to have awful hangovers in the morning and I need all my energy to deal with them."

Jacob laughed and Bella snuggled closer against him and drifted into a peaceful sleep. Jacob took a lot longer, all his worries and fears about losing Bella whirling around in his head. Eventually tiredness won out and he fell into a restless slumber.

_**A/N-Sorry this took so long to edit. For some reason I have been really struggling with this story, maybe because we are nearly reaching the big climax. I hope you are all still enjoying. I will try to update quicker next time. Thanks for reading and all of your support! **_

_**Nikki **_


	43. Chapter 43

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all character and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-Thanks to everyone who left such lovely reviews on the last chapter, I really appreciate your feedback, it does keep me motivated. This story has moved forward since the last chapter by a month...**_

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Seventeen**

_**A month later...**_

Carlisle was just finishing his latest shift at the hospital, he had offered to stay on to cover another doctors absence but the administrator had protested, saying that he must very tired as he had already worked for twelve straight hours. Carlisle had tried to hide his amusement, if they only knew. He could go on forever, he never tired and he did not need sleep. Still appearances needed to be maintained. Reluctantly he gathered his medical paraphernalia together and prepared to head back home. He had his back turned to the door of his office when it opened unexpectedly, the visitor crept in silently. No human would have been able to do that to Carlisle. A familiar scent assaulted his nostrils and he whipped around with supernatural speed.

The visitor gave him a friendly smile. "We meet again, Carlisle. You do not seem pleased to see me."

"I wasn't expecting you Aro, why are you here? I thought..."

Aro walked slowly over to Carlisle and gestured for him to sit. "No, I expect you thought that psychic you adopted into your family would give you prior warning, didn't you? Well your other adopted son Edward gave us vital clues on how to avoid her visions and manipulate them to our advantage. Very useful he was, until you decided to end him. Bad move my friend, bad move..."

"I will not help you Aro, you cannot manipulate me..." Carlisle replied, his voice steely as he glared at the Volturi leader.

An amused laugh ripped from Aro's throat as he sat down and arranged the red robes he was wearing more comfortably around his girth. He smoothed his long, black hair away from his pale face and leaned forward so that his elbows were resting on Carlisle's desk. "Oh I can manipulate you alright, don't doubt that my friend. Right at this moment I have captured your precious family. Jane and my other associates are right now in your mansion keeping your mate and the others under house arrest. One wrong move from you and your lovely partner,Esme, will have her pretty head ripped from her shoulders. Do we understand each other?"

Carlisle sat down on the chair opposite Aro and eyed him coldly. "You are evil incarnate..." he seethed. "How did you find out about Edward's demise? Who has been feeding you information?"

Aro sat back and regarded Carlisle for a few seconds. "You always were naive my friend, too ready to see the good in everyone. The one who you recruited to be your so called double agent has betrayed you. She had developed feelings for Edward when they were alone together in Denali. He was not interested of course. For some bizarre reason he was obsessed with the Swan girl and refused Rebecca. Then of course you killed him and well that rather sealed all of your fates."

"So, Rebecca Black betrayed us all in the end. Rather ironic..."Carlisle said bitterly.

"Yes, well. My guards will escort you to join your family. I am only here to destroy the wolf pack and take the girl. She will be a very useful asset to our guard. The abilities that she possesses will ensure our future survival against any attempts to overthrow us." Aro stood up and nodded his head at Carlisle before leaving the room and ushering for his guards to take the doctor captive.

XXXXXX

Seth was on patrol when he got the first hint that something was amiss. He bent his head to the ground and carefully sniffed around. It was faint but definitely there, a scent he recognised from the time he had overheard Rebecca and the Volturi guard discussing what had happened at the Swan house. He racked his brains trying to think of the little blonde girl's name... Jane! That was it! Seth kept his nose to the ground and followed the scent carefully. It was soon intermingled with some others he did not know and his heart missed a beat as he realised that there were quite a few different smells. In fact he had assessed that there were at least twenty different scents.

After making sure that none were nearby, Seth raised his wolfs head and howled out a warning.

XXXXXX

Bella was driving toward La Push when she heard the sound of howling. She began to panic as she recognised the note of desperation in the wolf's call. Something was very much amiss. For the first time since she had acquired the truck she cursed the fact that it would not go above sixty. She floored the accelerator and it made an alarming whining sound as she tried to coax the ancient Chevy to speed up. More howls sounded as the other pack members heeded Seth's call and joined him. Bella recognised one of them as Jacob's; his Alpha timbre was one she knew by heart.

"Come on," she muttered to herself as the truck took it's time. She was sure it was going backwards at one point. Why did she have to choose today of all days to pay a visit to her old school friend Angela in Forks?

The minutes ticked by as Bella neared the borders of La Push, her heart beat fast in her chest. She was so close. Just as she thought she had reached safety, the engine on her truck died and it drew to a halt. Bella hit the wheel, tears of frustration leaking out of her eyes.

"Damn it..." she cussed. Taking a deep breath she shoved the driver's door open and jumped down onto the road. She would have to walk from here.

Bella had only taken a couple of paces when she heard a familiar voice calling out her name. "Hey, Bella..."

Turning around, Bella faced Rebecca Black. She frowned and bit her lip in agitation. "Has something happened, Becca?" she asked her nervously.

Rebecca gave her a slow smile. "You could say that. I need you to come with me?"

Bella shook her head no. "Jake would want me to head straight for home." She insisted.

Rebecca gave a tinkling laugh. "My brother is at this moment being torn to shreds by the Volturi guard. I suggest you come quietly, I wouldn't want to have to use force, but I will if I have to."

Bella shivered as she heard the cruel tone in Rebecca's voice. What the hell had happened to her? She was supposed to be on their side, her eyes were still golden? Had the Cullen's betrayed them after all?

As if she could read Bella's thoughts Rebecca approached her slowly. One hand went up to her eyes and she easily took out the contact lenses she had been forced to wear to cover her red eyes. She gave another laugh as she heard Bella gasp as realisation sunk in. "Do you get it now? I was never on your side; I have been playing you all for fools. Even the Cullen idiots were taken in by my remorseful act."

"Why do you hate me so much?" Bella asked her softly, tears leaking out the corners of her eyes.

Rebecca stared at her intently for a moment. "My life was stolen from me by James. Rachel has moved forward in her life with Jared, you have my brother. Everyone is settling down and making a future for themselves, I thought that maybe Edward and I...but you made sure that was an impossibility." she snapped.

"You were in love with Edward?" Bella said incredulously. "I never wanted anything to do with him; it is not my fault if he did not reciprocate your feelings Becca. You have to stop this. Think of your family, your mother..."

A strange look passed over Rebecca's face at the mention of her mother. "Do not talk to me about my mother; you stole her love from me too. Do you have any idea what it was like being compared to saint Bella as I was growing up? You took over my whole family; you stole them all from me. Now I will make sure you spend eternity regretting you ever moved back to Forks."

Bella listened to the vitriol pouring forth from Rebecca. Carlisle Cullen had said once that when you were turned your emotions became more enhanced. It seemed that Rebecca's natural jealousy and spite had been brought to the fore and over rode any sense of reason. She had twisted the events of her childhood around to suit herself. It seemed that she had blocked out the fact that it was her own wicked deeds that had distanced herself from her family. Bella knew there was nothing more left to say.

She stood face to face with Rebecca and waited for her to make the next move...

XXXXXX

The pack were fighting for their lives, the unexpected attack had taken them all unawares. The Volturi guard had made sure that they had concealed themselves well. Rebecca had relayed all the information they needed to know about the pack movements and the way they worked so they had been prepared. If it had not been for Seth straying off of his usual patrol route and coming across the faint scent then the pack would have had no chance to defend themselves, as it was they were struggling.

There were a total of twenty Volturi against seven wolves. Jacob had just given the order for them all to retreat and regroup closer to the La push border. They had managed to take down five of the lesser experienced fighters but the others had special abilities. The one called Jane just stood there smiling serenely as she turned her red eyes onto a wolf. Instantly that wolf would be disabled as pain shot through their heads, rendering them immobile. She had targeted Paul at first as he was about to attack her. Jared had managed to get a hold of Paul's scruff and drag him out of the way as Jane turned her fiery red eyes onto her next victim.

Jacob tried desperately to think of a plan, there must be a way to infiltrate through the vampires? If they could dispatch the female called Jane and her accomplice, the one she had called Alec, they would have a better chance. The others were following her orders and would become scattered without her leadership.

"Listen..." Jacob's voice echoed through the pack mind link. "We need to stay in formation. If we are grouped together it will be harder for them to attack easily. I need to reach the blonde. If I can kill her then they will be without a leader. Sam I need you to try to get hold of the male she called Alec. Are we all ready?"

Jacob heard the other's voices in his head, agreeing with his plan. They all knew there was not a lot else they could do. Taking the lead, Jacob ordered them all to follow and as one they sprinted toward the waiting Volturi.

XXXXXX

Aro gave Rebecca a smug smile when she returned to the Cullen mansion dragging along a reluctant Bella. "Oh my dear, well done!" he clapped his hands in excitement.

"It was too easy, as none of them had any warning that we were coming they were careless. I caught her driving back to La Push." She pushed Bella toward Aro so that she fell onto the floor at his feet.

"Now, now my dear, do not harm the merchandise. She is going to be a very valuable member of my team. Her shielding capabilities are the strongest I have ever come across." Aro rubbed his hands together as he studied Bella carefully with his red eyes.

"If you say so," Rebecca muttered. "You promised me that you would turn my sister so that she would join me. While the pack is preoccupied I will go to the reservation and get her. She is the only thing that matters to me now."

Aro's head shot up and he looked at Rebecca nonchalantly. A grim smile crossed his face. "Oh my dear, you really are as naive as the Cullen's. I never had any intention of carrying out your bizarre request. You have fulfilled your role and now your usefulness to me is at an end."

Rebecca's red eyes blazed as she regarded Aro with fierce hatred. Bella rolled onto her back and was shocked at the expression crossing Rebecca's face at Aro's dismissal of her.

"You bastard..." Rebecca spat at Aro, her lips pulled back into a snarl. "You will regret crossing me."

"Language my dear, there is no need for such..." Aro never got a chance to finish his sentence as Rebecca Black launched her body at him and wrestled the elder vampire to the ground.

Bella watched in horror as the two combatants fought it out in front of her, neither gaining the advantage, Rebecca was a much younger vampire than the ancient Aro, but did not have his experience. They rolled over and over as they scratched, pulled and hit each other hard, the noise of their fight echoing through the cavernous room of the Cullen mansion.

After a moment, Bella came to her senses and she scrambled to her feet. This was her one chance to end the existence of the Volturi leader while he was occupied in his battle with the deranged Rebecca. She ran into the kitchen and hunted through the many cupboards for what she needed. Eventually her hand felt around in one of the draws and clutched at a box of matches. With her heart hammering loudly in her ears, Bella ripped at the sleeve of her shirt and yanked it away. She now had fuel to light the fire. She stumbled her way back into the main room and struck the match, lighting up the torn material.

Taking a deep breath Bella approached the still whirling bodies of the two vampires and threw the burning material on top of them. Within seconds a horrible keening sound resounded through the room as the fire immediately engulfed them. Bella placed her hands over her ears and staggered back as Aro and Rebecca separated and stood, both of them trying to batten down the flames. It did neither of them any good as they lost their battle and dissolved into dust.

XXXXXX

The battle was over, Jacob's plan had worked. He had managed to get a hold on Jane as she was distracted trying to use her powers on Seth. It seemed she could only target one victim at a time. With Jared's help Jacob had gained a good hold on her neck and ripped her head from her shoulders. This had in turn maddened Alec as he attempted to help his sibling. Sam had soon dispatched him. As Jacob had predicted, the other Volturi guards had become aimless without their leader and were soon dealt with by the others.

The pack were now back in human form as they stood around the burning flames of the bonfire they had hastily erected to make sure that all the bodies were dispensed with. They each felt sheer exhaustion overwhelm them and a feeling of thankfulness that they had all managed to survive. Jacob however was feeling very uneasy. All during the battle he had an innate feeling that there was something wrong. He knew that Bella had visited Angela earlier that day, but was sure that she must have returned back to La Push by now. He had to push any ambivalent feelings to the back of his mind as he dealt with the Volturi, but now that danger was past the feelings about Bella returned in full force. Sam noticed how agitated Jacob was becoming.

"What is it?" he asked Jacob quietly.

"I think something has happened with Bells." he muttered.

"Do you sense that she is in danger?" Sam enquired.

"I was so caught up in the battle I felt something was up but now I feel a huge sense of sadness coming from her. I need to get to her Sam. Can you finish up here?"

"Of course, go..."

Jacob nodded and left immediately. He let the bond he shared with Bella guide him to where she was. He increased his pace as he realised that she was at the Cullen's mansion of all places. What the hell was she doing there? He knew that she was unhurt; he would have been able to tell that through the imprint. Carefully circumnavigating the Cullen's palatial home for any signs of a trap, Jacob phased back into his human form, yanking on his shorts quickly. He sprinted up the steps and through the wide open door of the house. He caught sight of Bella, sitting curled up on the black leather sofa, her face was covered in dirty streaks and he could see the tracks of her tears running down her cheeks.

"Jacob..." She choked out when she saw him. "You're okay? Is everyone alright?"

Jacob engulfed her in his strong arms and held her tightly against him. She nestled into his embrace and let his strong presence soothe her. "Everyone's fine, honey." he whispered reassuringly.

Bella hid her head against his chest in relief and relaxed. Her emotions were all over the place as the events of the last hour ran through her mind.

"What happened here Bella? Did the Cullen's bring you here and where are they?" he questioned her after a moment's silence.

Bella gave a sad sigh and finally plucked up the courage to tell Jacob the horrible truth about Rebecca's betrayal. She haltingly told him about being hijacked on her return to La Push by his sister and the subsequent realisation that Rebecca had been fooling them all this whole time. His hold on her tightened as she divulged about the epic fight between Aro and Rebecca, Bella began to cry as she revealed how they met their deaths.

"I'm so sorry Jacob, I never had a choice...I didn't mean to hurt Rebecca but she was beyond reason by that point..." Bella's voice was hoarse as she kept apologising.

Jacob gently cupped her face in his hands. He gazed lovingly into her chocolate brown eyes. "You did what you had to do, Bells. Becca is responsible for her own fate. The decisions she made were her own. We gave her so many second chances and because of our blind hope that she had changed, we could have all died today. I am the one who is sorry. I should have been here to protect you."

Bella's lips trembled as she took in his devastated expression. "There was nothing you could have done; you had your own battle to face. We have all been taken by surprise. I am just so glad you are alright. If you had been taken away from me..." She did not finish the sentence, not being able to bear the thought of losing him.

"I love you Bells, so much." Jacob said huskily. He leaned down and placed a loving kiss on her lips. He then rested his forehead on hers as he gazed into her eyes again.

"I love you too, Jacob Black." Bella responded, closing her eyes in relief that it was finally over...

_**A/N-I hope that was okay, this has to be the hardest chapter I have ever written. I am not that great at battle scenes. We are into the last few chapters of this story now. In the next one we will find out what happened to the Cullen's and how the pack moves forward from here.**_

_**Thanks for reading. **_

_**Nikki **_


	44. Chapter 44

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_A/N-Sorry for the delay on updating this story, I found this particular one difficult to write due to major writer's block. Thankfully with the help from my wonderful beta __**SCIFIROMANCE **__I finally managed to complete this chapter. I want to give her a big __**THANK YOU**__ for betaing this for me, even though she has such a busy schedule. Nikki _

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Eighteen**

The aftermath of the battle took its toll on everyone, especially the Black family. Billy, Sarah and their daughter Rachel mourned the loss of Rebecca. Even though she had betrayed them to the end, in their hearts they still remembered the rare good times that they had shared with her when she was younger. Rachel looked back on the bond she had with her twin and wondered when it had been severed to such an extent that she had not known her sister anymore. In her mind the only way she could cope was by separating the two parts of her sister, the one she had shared all her childhood secrets with and the cold hearted version who seemed to only think of her own selfish needs. The Black's knew that no one else would want to attend a funeral for Rebecca so they held a private memorial service just for them. Jacob refused to attend.

"Please Jake, I know what Becca did was bad but she was still your sister..." His mother had begged him.

Jacob had to drop his eyes to the floor; he could not bear to see the hurt shining from her eyes. "I'm sorry mom, I can't. She nearly killed Bells; I can never forgive her for that not even in death. I would feel like a fraud if I attended and would likely say something I would regret. If you, dad and Rach feel you need this memorial service to say goodbye, then go ahead. I can't come. I'm sorry."

Sarah's bottom lip trembled as her grief overtook her once again. She could understand her son's feelings, even though she didn't agree with them. If Becca had succeeded in her attempts to kill Bella than it would have been him they would have been mourning. There was no doubt that Jake would never have survived Bella's death. She wiped away a stray tear and left him alone, knowing there was no more to say.

XXXXXX

A week after the surprise attack by the Volturi, a letter arrived for Billy and Jacob. It came in a white envelope and the leech stink permeating the heavy notepaper made Jacob want to gag. Even if the fine script had not given it away; Jacob would have guessed it was from the Cullen's. Nothing had been seen or heard from them after the battle was won. Jacob had searched the house after finding Bella in the mansion alone but he found no trace of any of the Cullen family. Everyone began to wonder if they had been taken off somewhere and executed.

Now this letter had arrived. Before opening it Billy and Jacob agreed that everyone should be gathered together so they could hear the contents at the same time. Seth was sent off to round up all the pack members and Jacob called Bella and Charlie with the news that they had contact from the Cullen's. The Black's house was crowded once everyone arrived. Some of the pack was sprawled on the chairs or the couch. Jared and Rachel sat cuddling together on the floor, while Seth and Paul had to stand at the back of the room. In the centre chairs were placed where the adults all sat around in a circle. Jacob was sitting on the couch with Bella on his lap, while Sam and Leah were on the other side doing the same. The last to arrive were Embry and Kim. They had been having dinner with her parents and it took them a while to come up with a good excuse as to why they had to leave.

Billy stood up slowly and looked around the room. "We asked you all here because we have finally received news from the Cullen's. We have been ignorant as to their fate, but it now seems that they have decided to let us know what happened to them when the Volturi arrived unexpectedly. We thought it was only fair that we all got to hear about it at the same time."

Everyone gazed at him intently as he took the letter out of the envelope and shook it open. The leech stench made the pack members grimace, but they kept silent.

"I'll just basically read it word for word..." Billy continued.

_**This missive is addressed to Mr Billy Black, the chief of the Quileute tribe and his son the Alpha of the La Push wolf pack, Jacob Black...**_

_**I want to send my sincere apologies for our inability to assist you during the recent traumatic events that occurred. As you know, Aro and his associates planned an ambush that took us all by surprise. After Aro placed me and my family under house arrest, he issued instructions to his accomplices to escort us to Port Angeles where we were placed on a plane, guarded by some of his most deadly security detail. Aro was not taking any chances that any of us could escape. We were flown to Italy to a small town called Volterra, this is where Aro and the other Volturi leaders have resided for centuries. **_

_**Once there we were taken to see the other two leaders, Marcus and Caius. We knew that we would have no chance of overcoming the guards and the two most dangerous of the Volturi leaders, so we all in our own way began to accept our fate, and then they took us all by surprise. My family and I were informed that the other Volturi leaders had become increasingly worried by Aro's unstable behaviour of late. He had turned his interest in Bella Swan and her shielding abilities into an obsession. He seemed to be under the misapprehension that the others were plotting against him. As a result of this Aro gathered together his most trusted guards and set off for La Push to plan a surprise attack without Caius and Marcus' knowledge. **_

_**Without going into too much unnecessary detail which would involve informing you of the complex political manoeuvres of the vampire world, I have been asked to take Aro's place as one of the three Volturi leaders. Marcus and Caius are two of the oldest living vampires in the free world and have spent the best part of their lives trying to create order where there is chaos. As you have come to know, newborn vampires left to their own devices can wreak havoc. Even in our world rules are needed. Marcus and Caius would now like to relieve themselves of some their responsibilities, they have long admired my commitment to my principals and with the assistance of my talented family, they feel I would be in the best position to help them all move forward in a changing world. **_

_**In closing I would like to assure you that there will no longer be any threat to the La Push wolf pack. Any price on their head has been revoked as of now. I have made it my first order that no nomadic vampires are allowed to stray anywhere near the old treaty borders that I agreed with your ancestors. I can also assure the Alpha of the new pack that his soul mate, Bella Swan is no longer in any danger from any of the Volturi leaders. Her shielding powers will remain a secret within the Volturi vaults. **_

_**Lastly I would like to issue my sincere regrets about the demise of Rebecca Black. In the time that I did spend with her I thought she came across as a bright and quick minded individual. If it had not been for the bad influences she came under when she was first turned I still feel that she could have been redeemed. I am deeply sorry for your loss. **_

_**Yours, **_

_**Carlisle Cullen**_

Silence reigned through the room as everyone tried to digest this piece of startling news. All the pack members exchanged glances, not really wanting to be the first to speak. Billy had returned to sit next to his wife; she had begun sobbing when she heard the last part of the letter regarding Becca. Jacob looked over at his distraught mom and felt unwelcome tears welling in his own eyes. Sam watched the play of emotions cross his Alpha's face and decided to take charge for the moment. The Black family were still under a lot of strain and Jacob was still reeling from the loss of his sister, no matter how many times he denied that he did not care that she was dead.

Sam gently kissed Leah and whispered something to her. She nodded and slipped off of his lap. She walked over to Bella and murmured something in her ear. Bella sighed and kissed Jacob quickly on the cheek. He gazed at her sadly as he watched the two girls go over to his mom and help her from the room. Rachel and Sue soon followed.

Charlie stood up and, as he passed Jacob, he gave him a sympathetic glance. He strolled over to Billy and Harry. "I think we all deserve a beer after that bit of news. Let's leave the girls to have their talk and I think the pack would like some time to digest this turn of events too."

"Yeah, I would love a beer..." Harry agreed. He stood and helped Billy rise. He too had been knocked back by Carlisle's mention of his deceased daughter. Like Sarah he was finding it hard to sort through his conflicting feelings about her.

"Yeah, a beer would be good." He gave a quick glance over to his son before following his friends out of the room.

XXXXXX

Sam stood in the centre of the room and looked around at his pack brothers. They had all been brought together by unusual circumstances. If it had not been for the wolf gene none of them would probably have developed the deep friendships that they had. Although at first regretting what had happened to him, Sam would now not change a thing. He loved being part of the pack and knew for a certainty that the others felt the same. The threat that had bound them together had been removed and now they would all hopefully be able to move forward with their lives.

"I know that what Billy read out to us all was surprising. It is good news that Carlisle Cullen will now be able to make sure that our little corner of the world is kept safe. We have all been through so much but let us rejoice in the fact that we came through it relatively unscathed. There was one major loss and that was Rebecca..."

A few angry murmurings echoed around the room at the mention of her name. Sam glared at each pack member until they fell silent. The only one not the least bit intimidated was Paul.

"Why sugar-coat the fact that she was a conniving bitch..." He said sullenly. "I am sick of pretending otherwise. Did you hear that bullshit that the coven leader came out with? Becca was an evil, double crossing..."

"SILENCE..." the Alpha order thundered through the room as Jacob sprang to his feet and marched over to Paul.

Paul's tongue was now glued to the roof of his mouth by Jacob's order. He shrank back as Jacob stared him down until he cowed down before him.

"Never talk about Rebecca again in that way. She was my sister and my poor parents have suffered enough." Jacob's voice was quiet but deadly as he spoke, the tension surrounding him palpable.

Sam began to move forward, worried about what might happen if he did not intervene. Jacob's temper was on a knife edge and he was quite capable of taking out his unhappiness on his least favourite pack brother. It was at this point that Bella ran back into the room. She saw Jacob towering above Paul and she threw herself between them.

"Jake, please, he is not worth it." Bella begged him, laying her hand on his chest. She could feel the rapid beating of his heart under her hand.

Jacob tore his eyes away from Paul and gazed at Bella, his dark eyes shining with unshed tears. She knew that he needed to stop bottling up his feelings over Rebecca's betrayal.

"Sam, please can you get everyone to leave." Bella said softly, her eyes riveted on Jacob.

"Yeah, of course, we'll see you later bro." Sam told Jacob before ushering the others out of the room. Jacob needed Bella right now and they were all in the way.

As soon as the room emptied Jacob's uncaring facade about his sister's death collapsed and he sank to his knees in front of Bella, she put her arms around him and lay her head on top of his as he began to cry silent tears. His arms slipped around her waist and he pressed his head to her stomach as he allowed her to be strong for the both of them while he finally let go of his grief.

_A/N-I hope that came across okay, I know that Rebecca was an evil character; however she was still part of the Black family. I was really just trying to show how everyone, even Jacob was dealing not only with her death but her betrayal. I would love to know your thoughts about this chapter. Thanks for reading! _

_Oh, in the next couple of chapters we will get to see Paul and Seth meeting their future soul mates. (I really hope you like Paul's. I have not really written an OC before and I have spent ages trying to think of his perfect match, LOL. Sweet Seth's was much easier :)_


	45. Chapter 45

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Myer.

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE **

**Part Nineteen **

_Two years later..._

Jacob smiled lazily as he watched Bella pull on her bridesmaid dress. He was lying on his bed looking her up and down, a hungry gleam in his dark eyes. They had just made love for the second time that morning until Bella had insisted that she needed to get ready, time was running out and she took a lot longer to get ready than he did.

"Are you going to get in the shower or not?" She asked him mildly as she began pinning up her long tresses. She had not cut her hair for two years and it now flowed down nearly to her waist. She kept it this way because she knew that Jacob loved her hair like this.

Jacob placed his hands behind his head and lay back on the bed in a relaxed pose. "Only if you come with me..." he said suggestively.

Bella tried to keep her expression serious. The thought of sharing the shower with Jacob was very tempting; she glanced at the clock and sighed. There was not much time; she needed to leave the house within the hour. "You are a tease..." she said regretfully.

He laughed at her as she shot him a dark look. She finished pinning up her hair and began to apply the makeup that Rachel had insisted that all her bridesmaids wear. Jacob much preferred the natural look. He sprang from the bed and strolled over to her, winding his arms around her slender waist."You're beautiful..." he whispered.

Bella smiled at his reflection in the mirror. "Not as beautiful as you..." she retorted playfully.

"True, but my natural good looks outshine everyone..." he boasted.

Bella burst out laughing and swatted at his arm. "Modest as ever...go on Jake you need to get ready. We are picking up Angela and her cousin, remember. Rachel will be pissed if we are late. I am the chief bridesmaid."

Jacob gave a heavy sigh. "Alright, if I must. What is Angela's cousin like? I mean Ange is rather quiet, maybe her cousin is the same." He pondered.

Bella adjusted the straps to her gown; Jacob was already trying to pull the dress off of her. "I don't know. Angela is still upset over her break up with Ben. I thought inviting her to Rachel's wedding might cheer her up."

Jacob gave her a smug grin. "You want to set her up, don't you? I can see right through you Bells." He teased.

Bella laughed at him, he knew her so well. Her eyes strayed to the small diamond ring adorning her left hand. She had been officially engaged for three months now and would be walking down the aisle herself in the spring.

Jacob caught her looking at her engagement ring and he gave her gentle smile. "I can't to wait make you officially my wife..."

"Me either..." Bella said gently. She caught the heated look that Jacob was wearing. A smirk spread across her face as her fiancé began kissing along her neck. It would seem that they would be delayed after all.

XXXXXX

"Why did you drag me along for this Angie?" Kristie said irritably. "There better be some hot guy's at this shindig. I hate weddings."

Angela's face burned red with mortification. She glanced at Bella and gave a sigh of relief that her friend found the whole thing amusing. Her cousin could be very blunt at times and never held back from stating her opinion. Kristie was the exact opposite of Angela, she played the field and never let a man dominate her, and she was always in total control and left a series of broken hearts behind her. She was notorious for her conquests and woe betide any male that wronged her. She was adept at getting her revenge. There was no man that had been able to pierce through Kristie's harsh exterior. It would take a strong male to get under her cousins skin.

Bella studied Angela's cousin; she was certainly a beautiful young woman with her raven black hair and pale skin. Her full red lips accentuated her beauty. Kristie reminded Bella very much of Leah, they both shared the same attributes, especially the confrontational attitude. An image of Paul came into her mind and she smiled deviously. Some matchmaking was clearly in order...

XXXXXX

Paul was bored; he had been assigned to be Jared's best man at the wedding, an honour he at first had refused. However after much prodding from Jacob and Sam he had reluctantly agreed. He watched as Jared fussed over his morning suit, for some bizarre reason he and Rachel had agreed to a traditional white wedding. Jared's parents were particularly old fashioned and as Rachel was the daughter of the Chief no less a big showy celebration was in order. Jared's family was well off and no expense had been spared as his parents threw themselves into organising the big event.

"For fuck's sake man you look fine. Why are you fussing so much, dude?" Paul complained. He pulled at the collar of his suit and sighed.

Jared regarded him irritably. "My parents have laid out a lot of money for today. It took me ages to get Rach to agree. I want everything to go without a hitch. I want to get this crap out of the way so I can whisk Rach away for our honeymoon."

Paul smirked at Jared. "I knew that you had an ulterior motive."

Jared laughed. "Shut it Lahote, you better have your best man's speech ready."

Paul gave him a smug grin. "Hell yeah, it's all written."

Jared grimaced wondering for the hundredth time why he had chosen Paul for his best man...

XXXXXX

Rachel dusted down the skirts of her dress. It was a simple design; she hadn't wanted anything showy, even though Jared's mom had pushed for a meringue type garment. She had stuck to her guns and stayed with her first choice. The simple ivory empire line dress clung to her curves and hid the small bulge of her stomach. She was expecting her first child. The news had come as a total shock to her and Jared but as they were due to get married anyway they brought the wedding forward before she showed too much. She was four months gone and already knew she was carrying a girl. A name had already been chosen. Rachel was going to name her firstborn after her deceased twin.

A soft knock on the door indicated that her dad was outside. "Rachel, are you ready?" He asked gently.

Rachel looked at herself in the mirror one last time as she placed a hand over her stomach. "Yes," she whispered as she left her old room for the last time and went to join her mom and dad.

XXXXXX

Kristie's mouth dropped open in shock as she took in all the handsome male specimens that dominated the small church. She nudged Angela in the ribs. "Why didn't you let on that this Bella chick is surrounded by such hot talent? I mean her fiancé is sex on legs but his friends...just wow. Thanks for inviting me Ange." She said rubbing her hands together in glee. Her eyes fixated on Seth Clearwater. She stared over at him and flashed him a sexy smile. "See you later cousin..." she whispered as she sauntered over to Seth.

Angela's face reddened. She was already regretting bringing Kristie with her but it was too late now. She glanced over at Kristie's intended target. She vaguely remembered Bella telling her about young Seth Clearwater in the past during their catch up phone calls when she had left to study at WA. She saw him give her an intense look and she swore that she could feel some sort of pull toward the young man. His eyes radiated warmth and sincerity and she found herself drifting over in his direction. As she walked over to him she noticed her cousin had been intercepted by another one of Bella's acquaintances. Kristie seemed to be having a heated argument with the handsome young man, but it was only a fleeting thought that passed through Angela's head as she finally reached Seth and smiled shyly up at him.

XXXXXX

Jacob had his arm over Bella's shoulders protectively; he was glaring at any male that dared to look in her direction. She looked seriously hot in her bridesmaid dress. He glanced over at Sam who was hovering protectively around Leah; he could see that his beta was having the same problem keeping the male guests away from his mate. The dresses both girls wore were quite revealing and both Jacob and Sam were having a hard time holding themselves back from taking the girls back to the bedroom.

A kerfuffle at the back of the church caught his attention, he saw Bella look that way too as he observed Angela's cousin yelling at Paul. He gave a resigned sigh, what had the douche done now? "I think Paul has upset your friend's cousin." he whispered.

Bella regarded Paul and Kristie thoughtfully; she took in Paul's mesmerized expression as he stared at Angela's cousin. The look was familiar and a smirk crossed her lips. "Jake, it's happened, look at Paul's face."

Jacob studied Paul closely and a smile crossed his lips. He recognised that look. "He has imprinted on her." He marvelled.

"It seems so; Kristie will prove to be quite a challenge for him I think. She is quite feisty." Bella mused.

Jacob chuckled as he slipped his arms around Bella's waist. "It is a challenge I think Lahote will enjoy by the smitten look on his face."

Bella leaned back against him and laughed along with him. "Mmm it seems so. I am so glad it finally happened for him, it was sad to see him pining after Lee."

"Yeah, although he has managed to keep his feelings under control, it will be a relief to Leah." Jacob admitted.

Bella nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Lee has struggled with her unfounded guilt over Paul's happiness. Sam will be relieved too."

"Definitely..." Jacob spun Bella around in his arms and leaned down to kiss her. "Have I told you how sexy you look in that dress?" He said huskily.

"Yes, but you can tell me again..." she murmured as he began to intensify the kiss.

They were interrupted in their endeavours by the sound of the organ introducing the wedding march. Jacob groaned as Bella hastily pulled away and began to check herself over. "I have to go. See you soon." she began to run over toward Rachel and Leah who were waiting outside the church.

Jacob let out heavy sigh as he watched her go, he saw Paul talking animatedly to Angela's cousin whose eyes were roaming about the church, looking disdainful. Seth was standing with Angela, talking to her in gentle tones. Jacob smiled, he was glad that Seth's attention was taken away from his Bella, and maybe Angela would prove just the distraction that Seth needed.

The sound of the organ playing the wedding march had him scurrying up the aisle to take his place next to his mom. Paul reluctantly left Kristie and joined a nervous looking Jared at the head of the church. Jacob watched as his sister floated down the aisle, her bouquet held tightly in her hands as she walked slowly toward Jared. Billy strolled proudly next to his daughter as he escorted her down the aisle. Jacob saw his dad wink at his mom as they sailed past her. Bella walked carefully after Rachel, her eyes were trained to her feet, trying to keep upright on the unfamiliar heels. As she passed Jacob she flashed him a sexy smile and he felt his body heat up, she was such a tease.

Behind her Leah stalked proudly, she was looking over at Sam a smirk playing about her lips. Jacob knew that his beta was planning on proposing to Leah at the reception. He grinned, everything was clicking into place. Rachel reached Jared and Billy gently placed her hand in that of her future husbands. He stepped back and gave his daughter a playful wink as the ceremony began...

_**A/N-I am so sorry that I have not updated this story for a long while, the combination of writer's block and RL issues getting in the way prevented me from posting this chapter. To be honest I am not entirely happy with this chapter but I cannot rewrite this anymore than I have done. More will be revealed about Paul's new love interest in the next chapter, along with Seth's. Thanks for your patience...Nikki **_


	46. Chapter 46

**Wolfie**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FURTURE **

**Part Twenty**

Kristie picked up the glass of champagne and took a long drink; she smacked her full lips together. "Not bad..." she muttered taking another swig.

A warm hand suddenly rested on her shoulder and she spun around in shock, slopping the last of the champagne down the front of her revealing red dress. She had changed into her expensive party dress as soon as the wedding party had retreated to the reception. It was being held in the Cameron's extensive grounds. A marquee had been erected and was filled with tables laden with food and drink. Kristie had snuck off immediately and headed straight for the drink. Her cousin Angela seemed to be glued to the gorgeous dude who had first caught her eye when she had entered the church. His name was Seth Clearwater; she had overheard that Bella chick talking to him. Some crap about imprinting or something like that.

She stared angrily up at the tall; very hot looking she had to concede, but highly irritating young man that had taken a liking to her. Kristie was used to male attention, she knew that she was attractive and her feisty nature and non committal attitude seemed to attract men like moths to a flame. She liked to be in control and did not appreciate having the man try to be in charge. This dude had been lecturing her since he first laid eyes on her. He seemed to have taken it upon himself to be her escort for the night even though she continually rebuffed his advances.

"Now look what you have done..." she muttered sarcastically as she began to wipe herself down.

Paul reached out and tried to help her, his eyes were riveted on her heaving breasts, the dress was very low cut and some of the champagne had fallen on her chest. "Let me help..." he said a sexy smirk playing about his lips.

Kristie glared at him and batted his hands away. "Don't even think about it?" she seethed.

"Think about what?" Paul tried to appear innocent.

"I am no fool Peter...I know what you were going to try and do." She replied narrowing her eyes.

"It's Paul...I've told you a hundred times." he huffed. "You keep saying it wrong to piss me off."

"Whatever..." Kristie adjusted the straps of her dress and ran her hands through her lustrous hair.

"Can I get you another drink or would you like to dance?" Paul interjected quickly, flashing her one of his most seductive smiles. It had always worked for him in the past.

Kristie rolled her eyes at him as she caught sight of Quil sailing by. "Nah not right now..." she ignored his protests and went after Quil, determined to show this dude that she could choose for herself.

XXXXXX

Angela gazed up at Seth in wonder; they were slow dancing together to the song My Girl. She was having the best time. When Bella had first suggested she attend her soon to be sister in law's wedding she had felt very ambivalent about it. Her break up with her high school sweetheart had left her feeling deflated. But now here she was wrapped in the arms of a very appealing and good looking young man. Seth Clearwater was a polite, sincere and very handsome boy. Angela felt like she was on cloud nine, maybe her break up with Ben had been for the best after all. Otherwise she would never have met sweet Seth.

"Having fun?" He questioned her as he leaned down and whispered into her ear.

Angela felt warmth seep through her skin and she unconsciously pressed closer to Seth's hardened body. "Very much..." she sighed in contentment as they continued to sway to the happy beat.

XXXXXX

Jacob and Bella had slipped outside to get some time alone. They were wrapped around each other kissing passionately. They pulled apart when they heard movement off to the side. It seemed that they were not alone as they had thought. They exchanged puzzled glances as they heard a feminine giggle. A familiar scent wafted Jacob's way and he opened his eyes wide. He looked down at Bella in alarm.

"I think we should leave..." he suggested quickly, slipping his arm across her shoulders trying to guide her back into the marquee.

Bella's eyes narrowed. "Why? You know who it is, don't you?"

Jacob winced. "Bells, believe me when I tell you that for your sanity it is best that you remain in ignorance." He pleaded with her.

"Jacob," she said irritably. "Just tell me who it is?"

Before he could respond more giggles and a man's deep laugh could be heard emanating from the shadows. Bella's face turned bright red with mortification as she recognised the laugh. "Noooo way..." she squeaked.

"Yes, way." Jacob confirmed. "I told you to let it alone."

"Ugh get me out of here Jake. I think I have been scarred for life." She began to walk quickly toward the marquee, but it was too late.

"Ohhh Chief Swan you do surprise me..." The woman's voice seemed to be coming in their direction. Bella heard her dad's laugh again as he and his female companion emerged from the shadows.

Charlie had a huge smile on his face as he strolled casually out into the open with his arm wrapped firmly over Colin Littlesea's mother. She was a widow, whose son was a year younger than Seth. The smile dropped from his face as he caught sight of his daughter and Jacob.

"Bells?" He said his own face turning red to match his daughters.

"Dad..." Bella replied giving her father a rueful smile.

Jacob couldn't help it, he began to laugh. Chief Swan had been caught making out like a teenager. Wait until his dad heard about this.

XXXXXX

It was time for the speeches. Kristie sat next to her cousin, another glass of champagne in her hand; she was glaring across at the best man. Once again he had spoiled her fun. She had approached the young man called Quil and asked him for a dance. He had not hesitated to take her up on her request. He held out his arms and she had shot Paul a triumphant look as she began to sway sexily with Quil. It had only been seconds later when Quil had been shoved to one side and Paul was in his face growling at him, yes actually growling. Kristie had been stunned. She heard Quil apologising profusely saying if he had known he would not have touched her, she heard the word imprinting again. What the hell was going on?

Paul had then taken her in his arms and began to dance with her, she had to admit the dude could actually move and she allowed him to take the lead, only because she wanted to know what was going on. She was not attracted to him in the least, she wasn't she lied to herself. She did not go for the Alpha male type; she preferred to bend men to her will, less conflict that way. However this Paul character was really getting under her skin. She finished the dance with him before stalking off to the drinks, pouring herself another glass of champagne.

Kristie felt her eyes getting heavy. That Bella's chick's father was giving an overblown speech about his history with the Black family and how he remembered the bride being born, and so on. She felt her cousin dig her in the side and her eyes shot open. The old guy finally put a cork in it and sat down next to a very nice looking older lady. He was giving his female companion a beaming smile.

"He is totally getting some tonight..." she whispered to Angela.

Right on cue her cousin blushed. "That's Bella's dad and a well respected member of the community. Please Kristie watch what you say." she pleaded.

"Alright keep your wig on..." Kristie drained her glass. It looked like the Paul dude was going to give his best man's speech.

She watched him closely as he hopped up onto one of the table's and pulled out a bit of paper. She zeroed in on the play of his muscles underneath his shirt. The guy was annoying but seriously well built. She saw everyone look at him expectantly and she waited for him to speak but something was wrong. The dude seemed frozen, it appeared that he had finally realised that all eyes were on him and his mind had gone blank. She saw him fumble with the paper and it slipped from his fingers and onto the floor.

"Come on Paul, get on with it..." Quil called out, baiting him.

Silence reigned in the air as Paul gazed around at the gathered crowd. He swallowed nervously and tried to find his voice. For the first time since she had met him, Kristie felt a smidgeon of sympathy for him. She found herself rising to her feet and holding up her empty champagne glass. "To the bride and groom," she toasted them.

The tension broke as everyone turned her way. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Paul shoot her a grateful smile. She found herself returning it. She was not attracted to him at all; she wasn't she lied to herself again as everyone rose and toasted the happy couple.

XXXXXX

The night wore swiftly on; the guests all broke up into little groups. Bella and Jacob had disappeared again, so had Sam and Leah. No one bothered to try and find them; it was obvious where they had sneaked off too. Jared held Rachel in his arms as they danced for the last time before taking off on their honeymoon.

"Happy, princess?" He asked her gently.

Rachel leaned her head against his chest as she danced slowly with him. "Yeah, I love you Jared." she declared.

"I love you too, babe." He replied hugging her closer.

Billy and Sarah sat off to one side watching their daughter dancing with her new husband. "She looks so happy." Sarah said softly.

Billy nodded his agreement. "She sure does."

Sarah smiled. "I am so glad that our children have found happiness." she said tears shining in her eyes, She did mention Rebecca.

Billy smiled at his wife affectionately. "Me too sweetheart...me too."

XXXXXX

Jacob and Bella reappeared just as the newlyweds were about to leave. Sam and Leah also returned and they made an announcement of their own. They were engaged. Leah's parents and her brother Seth, who was towing Angela along by the hand, went over to her and congratulated them both. Kristie watched in amazement as the newly engaged couple were surrounded by all their friends and family. She could feel the happiness vibrating in the air and she felt jealous. Her own family was fractured, she had been raised by a single mom who was more interested in her pursuit of her latest conquest then how her daughter was doing. She had been self reliant all her life and had encased her emotions behind an impenetrable wall. No one was ever going to even get the chance to hurt her. The only other person who she let see her vulnerable side was her cousin Angela, but even then she still hid how she was really feeling behind her brash attitude.

She felt a lump rising in her throat as she continued to watch the celebrations. Once again she was on the sidelines; Angela was in the middle of the group, Seth's arm firmly around her waist introducing her to his family. A tear slipped out of the corner of her eye and she bit her lip to stop it trembling. A warm hand once again touched her as Paul appeared by her side and gently brushed the tear away.

"You don't have to be alone..." he said huskily as he took her hand in his own.

"I'm always alone..." she stated harshly, wiping angrily at her face. Why did he have to catch her like this?

Paul glanced over at his pack brothers and their extended families. He still had a tight of hold of Kristie's hand, for once she wasn't pulling away. "You don't have to be alone anymore..." he told her firmly as he tugged on her hand and led her toward the pack, his family.

_**A/N-Please let me know what you think. Kristie is my first OC. What did you think of her and Paul together? How about Seth and Angela? I know there was only a little Jake/Bella in this chapter but I promise the next one will be focusing on them. Thanks for reading! **_


	47. Chapter 47

**Wolfie **

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**PART THREE-FIGHTING THE FUTURE**

**Part Twenty One-Epilogue**

Jacob stood on First beach, eyes closed letting the gentle breeze blow through his long, black hair. He had grown it out again at Bella's request, she loved running her hands through it. Now that he was no longer phasing as often, he could put up with the discomfort when he did turn wolf. With his eyes closed the sound of the waves lapping the shoreline and the sea birds calling, were so much louder. He grinned as he felt the warm sun shining on his skin. It was a rare occurrence around here, but as it was such a special day, it felt like the weather had also decided to bless them with sunshine. A hand on his shoulder made him open his eyes and turn swiftly. "Hey Em..." he greeted his best friend.

Embry gave him a happy smile. "Are you ready? No last minute doubts?" He asked teasingly.

Jacob just rolled his eyes. "Hardly, I have been ready for this forever. Have you seen her?"

Embry nodded. "Yeah, she looks beautiful man. Kim, Leah and the others are all fussing around her."

Jacob winced, he knew how Bella must hate that. She was a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl and loathed getting dressed up for anything, even her own wedding. His mom and the other women had railroaded her into wearing white. They had both always been adamant that they wanted a beach wedding. It was their favourite place, and being such an informal location, Bella had assumed that she could wear something casual. But she had not reckoned on the older women taking charge. His mom and Sue Clearwater had almost come to blows as they battled to get Bella and Leah to have traditional weddings. Sam had married Leah the month before, in the end they had eloped, much to Sue Clearwater's disgust. Poor Harry had a job on his hands to get her to talk to Leah when she came back home as Mrs Uley.

In the end, Leah had confronted her mom and apologised, telling her how much pressure she felt as the wedding became bigger and bigger as Sue invited more guests, even some distant cousins she had never even met. Like Bella, Leah hated being the centre of attention and as both mother and daughter had quick tempers, their clashes had not been pretty. In the end Sue asked Leah to at least have a reception at a venue of her choice. A wicked gleam had come into her daughter's eyes at this compromise and Sue knew exactly where the party would be held. Let's just say it was an event the residents of La Push never forgot. The beach cook out went on for two days straight. There were a lot of people suffering bad hangovers by the end of the celebrations and it was only the male pack members who were still standing at the end of it.

Jacob smiled to himself as he recalled the event. Tonight's reception was going to be nowhere near that level. It was going to be a more intimate, family orientated party, Bella had insisted on it. He surveyed the scene in front of him. Row upon row of white chairs had been placed upon the sand with an aisle straight down the centre. All the guests had arrived and were seated. Jacob followed Embry back to the temporary alter that had been erected on the beach. It seemed that Bella and her entourage were finally ready. He checked his attire one last time. He was decked out in a pair of black trousers and open necked white shirt.

"You got the rings, right bro?" He checked with Embry one last time.

"For the millionth time, Jake...yes." Embry grouched.

"Jeez, just checking..." Jacob said nervously. He looked up when he heard his mom calling out his name. She waved at him as his dad helped her settle on one of the chairs. Sarah still had trouble walking for long distances and sometimes still needed the wheelchair, but today she vowed to try and keep on her feet. His dad gave him an encouraging smile as he sat next to his wife, taking hold of her hand and kissing it.

Jacob saw all of his pack brothers lined up, lounging on the chairs on the opposite side to his parents. All of them were accompanied by their partners. The only single one was Quil, he refused to settle down and preferred to play the field. He was still very immature in a lot of ways and Jacob knew that it would take a very patient woman to put up with his juvenile behaviour. His eyes strayed to Paul and his wife, Kristie. She was holding a baby in her arms and Paul was keeping hold of his very lively two year old son. They had not been together long when Kristie had discovered she was pregnant. Everyone had been stunned but extremely supportive. Once Jaden was born, it was only a short while before Kristie announced a second pregnancy. Lily Anne was now six weeks old.

Sitting just behind them was his sister Rachel and her husband Jared. She had given birth to twin girls not too long after Kristie and now she was playing the doting mom to little Sarah and Sadie. Jared had not stopped grinning since they were born and some of the others wondered if his face had frozen with that expression. They constantly teased him about his enthusiasm, but Jared brushed it off. He felt like his life was perfect. Sam was sitting beside them, Leah was one of the bridesmaids so he was alone for the moment.

Finally after what seemed an age the wedding march started up and Jacob turned his gaze onto the aisle, where the love of his life was just about to make her entrance. All the guests heads twisted around to get their first glimpse of the bride. Ever so slowly, making sure to plant each bare foot firmly in the sand so she did not trip, Bella began to walk down the aisle. Beside her strode her proud father, Charlie Swan, holding on firmly to her arm. The guests took in the radiant bride's expression, her face was bare of make up, only the merest hint of mascara framing her huge brown eyes. Bella's luxuriant, long brown hair was pinned up at the sides, held up by small silver combs. Her simple, calf length white dress floated around her slender frame. As the faint breeze blew the dress, a small bump was clearly defined. Bella was four months pregnant with her first child.

Following gracefully behind her came her chosen bridesmaids, the guests gasped in surprise as they realised it wasn't only the bride who was expecting. Leah was the head bridesmaid, she was dressed in a pale blue, empire line dress. A flower of the same colour pinned to her short black hair. She was heavily pregnant, just about due in fact. The pack had placed bets whether she would drop while Jake and Bella exchanged vows. Behind Leah, came Kim. She flashed Embry a shy smile as she patted her growing bump. She was a month ahead of Bella. Bringing up the rear came Angela, she wasn't showing quite as much as the others, although she was as far along as Bella.

"Jeez it sure is going to be noisy around here when all these babies are born..." Harry whispered to his wife. Sue gave him a dark look as she elbowed him in the ribs.

"Remember two of them are yours, you old fool. Believe me you will be doing your share of babysitting duties." She retorted.

Harry pulled a face, earning him another dig in the ribs from his wife. He prayed that both of his grandchildren would be boys. It was tiring being surrounded by so many feisty women. All eyes followed the bride as she reached the altar, she handed her bouquet of wild flowers to Leah, kissed her father on the cheek and then turned to face her soon to be husband.

"Hey you..." Bella whispered as she smiled up at Jacob.

He held her hands tightly in his own as he gazed at her lovingly. "Hey..." he echoed her words as he leaned down to kiss her. Before his lips reached hers, he felt Embry tap him on the shoulder. He raised his head and glared at his best friend.

"What was that for?" He muttered.

Embry laughed as Bella giggled. "You have to wait until you're married before you kiss the bride, you doofus..." he reminded him.

Jacob's cheeks flushed red. "Oh yeah, I forgot..." a happy grin spread across his face as he joined in the laughter.

XXXXXX

The wedding party had retreated to the community hall located dead centre in the middle of La Push. It had been decorated simply, large tables had been set up, groaning with food. The women had excelled themselves, they knew how hungry the pack could get. On the central table a huge wedding cake had been placed. It was four tiers high and perched on the top was an exact replica of the bride and groom. Jacob knew that it was his father who had carved the wooden figures and he turned his gaze onto Billy, both men exchanging happy looks.

"Thank you..." Jacob mouthed toward his dad. Billy just nodded as he gazed with pride on his only son.

Bella was in the middle of a throng of people who were all busily congratulating Charlie Swan who had finally revealed he was going to make an honest woman of Valerie Littlesea. They had been dating for ages and had been putting off making their relationship official, but it seemed that wedding fever had caught up with Chief Swan too. Bella hugged her father and looked up at him happily.

"This is brilliant news dad...it's about time..." She laughed as Charlie reddened.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about. It's the second time for both of us, it's no big deal..." he grouched.

Bella pointed over to Valerie who was being hugged and congratulated by extended members of her family, she was glowing. Charlie softened as he looked at his future wife. "Well maybe it is after all. She looks happy, doesn't she, Bells?"

Bella slipped her arm through her fathers and nodded. "Yeah she does. I am so happy for you dad. It feels like all our lives are falling into place..."

Charlie smiled down at his only daughter and patted her hand. "Yes it does, and about time too..."

XXXXXX

The wedding speeches were long over and the music was now turned low as the few remaining couples with enough energy to still stand, circled slowly on the dance floor. All the food had been consumed and the wedding cake cut and shared around. It was now approaching midnight and Jake and Bella were ready to leave for their honeymoon. She had changed into her favourite pair of jeans and a t-shirt with 'Just Married' printed across the front. It accentuated her growing abdomen.

The guests all gathered around the happy couple as Bella turned her back, ready to throw her bouquet. She tossed it high in the air and it landed with a thud on Quil Ateara's head. He let out a surprised yell before throwing it away as if it burned his fingers. It was eventually caught by one of his cousins.

For the last time Jacob and Bella endured the congratulatory hugs and good wishes as they made their escape out into the cool night air. Big smiles broke out over their faces as they took in their mode of transport. Bella's old red Chevy had been polished to perfection and decorated with all sorts of banners and bits and pieces. The word 'Wolfie' had been spray painted across the rear.

"GO ON GUYS GIVE US ONE LAST KISS..." Quil bellowed out loud, causing the older guests to glare in his direction.

"Here's to Mr and Mrs Black..." Billy called out, all the crowd began to cheer and wolf whistle as Jacob took Bella in his arms and kissed her passionately.

When they pulled apart, both breathless, Bella locked eyes with her new husband and smiled. "I love you Jacob Black..."

"I love you too, honey..." he replied promptly, leaning down to kiss her again.

A collective aaah echoed through the crowd as Jacob picked up his bride and carried her to the Chevy, he easily opened the door and placed her carefully inside. He ran around to the drivers side and slipped in, turning on the loud engine. Jacob drove the Chevy in a circle around their gathered friends and family, both he and Bella leaning out of the opened windows yelling out their goodbyes. After a few last minute congratulations, the newly weds drove away into the night...

As the Chevy disappeared into the distance, Leah suddenly bent over double and let out a curse. Sam stared at her in shock as he knelt beside her. "No way..." he said.

Leah took deep breaths as she held onto her protruding belly. "Yes way, my waters have broken. The baby is on it's way..." She declared.

_**A/N-I am sorry that this took me so long to finish. I was going to add more to this story, but decided that this was probably the best place to end it. I want to give a big thank you to everyone who has read, favorited, followed and reviewed this story. It has been a fun journey and I have enjoyed every moment.**_

_**Thanks guys! **_

_**This is NikkiB over and out! :) **_


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